into the pine woods
by IcyWarriorCatz
Summary: Coal, a kittypet wanders into Clan territory, he is mostly interested in the dark pines and marsh lands of ShadowClan territory, he meets his long lost siblings and joins forces with them against the hardships of the wild (there will be blood description)
1. backstory

"Hey Ruby!" A black tom with caramel spots and bright yellow eyes meowed as he climbed into a dark room, moonlight filtered through a large window witch the tom was coming through. a bright red she-cat with emerald eyes lay on a little green couch with kits by her side.

"Hello PatchClaw," The she-cat said quietly. PatchClaw made his way across the room, climbing onto the couch that Ruby was laying on with her three kits.

"Wow their eyes are open!" PatchClaw exclaimed, his yellow eyes swam with happiness. Ruby nodded.

"This one," she said indicating with her tail at a dull red she-cat with bright yellow eyes and a black spot on her face and shoulder, "Can go to your clan."

"Really?" PatchClaw said excitedly, his eyes swimming with joy.

"And this one too," Ruby meowed, pointing at a large tom that was a spitting image of his father, but with emerald eyes.

"Thank you so much Ruby, but why are you giving them up?" PatchClaw asked. Ruby looked down at her paws.

"The housefolk will not keep any of them, but the two I'm giving to you have a low chance of being adopted. This one," She indicated to the tom, "Has a twisted paw."

"Oh he does?" PatchClaw said curiously poking at the kit's twisted front paw. Ruby nodded.

"And this red one is fit for a life like yours she has small fluffy paws that make no sound and she seems to be territorial," Ruby explained. PatchClaw nodded.

"What is the one you're keeping's name?" PatchClaw asked.

"His twolegs will decide," Ruby said simply as she looked at the black tom, he had a caramel heart shape on his forehead and one green and one yellow eye.

"oh that's great," PatchClaw said sarcastically.

"What are you naming those two?" Ruby asked, playfully batting at PatchClaw's ear.

"I was thinking you should name the red one, remember they have kit at the end of their names in the clans. And I was going to name the tom TwistKit," PatchClaw meowed.

"What about BrightKit?" Ruby asked.

"great! then it's settled, TwistKit and BrightKit!" PatchClaw cheered. Ruby smiled.

"You should take them to your camp now," Ruby whispered, as the kits had started to sleep.

"See you soon love" PatchClaw whispered, touching his nose to Ruby's nose.

"See you soon," Ruby whispered as PatchClaw took TwistKit and BrightKit with him, bounding to the window. PatchClaw paused then jumped out and bounded into the dark pine woods.

**hope you enjoyed the first chapter, it's mostly backstory on the main characters of the book, cya UWU **


	2. Chapter 1

A black tom with caramel spots stood in a dark cave, with a dark brown cat.

"You seem to have had kits with this kittypet didn't you?" The dark brown tom asked. The black tom looked into the brown tom's amber gaze.

"Yes, yes I have father…" The tom said looking into the other cat's amber stare. The brown tom shook his head slightly.

"Patchclaw...And she still won't join the clan?" The brown cat muttered.

"Yes...she won't join," Patchclaw looked down.

"What are my grandkit's names?" The brown tom said with a hint of mischief in his eyes.

"Brightkit and Twistkit" Patchclaw answered with an amused purr.

"Nice names, and let me guess, Ruby has the other two?" the brown tom asked.

"No, Oakstar, she has none. there were three, but other one the twoleg will get rid of…" Patchclaw meowed.

"Oh, then why didn't she just bring them all and join us?" Oakstar asked.

"Ha, I wish," Patchclaw purred.

Six moons later

Coal jumped from his small couch at the corner of a white room, lined by red furniture a door in the left corner and a staircase in front of the door. A window was located behind the couch. A young fiery orange cat pokes his head into a window.

"Haha you're awake Coal!" The tom cheered.

"Yeah, I heard my housefolk leaving, why did you wake up Hunter?" Coal said as he stretched his long legs.

"I heard a bird shrieking it's brains out," Hunter said with a roll of his eyes. Hunter stuck his tongue out.

"You're so on!" Coal growled playfully and playfully swiped at Hunter with sheathed claws. Hunter ducked and barreled him over, pinning him down.

"Haha you got me you got me!" Coal meowed. Hunter loosened his grip on Coal. now a voice told him, so he used his powerful hind legs to launch Hunter off of him. Coal scrambled to his feet and tackled Hunter who was still recovering from being thrown. Hunter tried to struggle out of his grip, but failed.

"Aw darn I thought I won!" Hunter said laughing. Coal chuckled and let go of Hunter. Hunter got up and groomed his fur. Coal looked at his own messy fur.

"Why don't you ever groom your fur?" Hunter asked, tipping his head to the side.

"Oh I don't know," Coal meowed shrugging his shoulders. "I like it this way."

"Okay," Hunter mewed as he stretched his legs. Coal looked out the window, where there was a view of the dark pine forest. Hunter walked over to a water bowl and drank from it.

"Want to play in the forest today?" Coal asked Hunter. Hunter's eyes widened and he spat out the water he was drinking and choked on the water he tried to swallow. Water was dripping from his chin, his blue collar was wet, the bell splashed him in the face with water when he whipped his head around to face Coal..

"No way! Tommy said there were wild cats out there! He says they eat their own kits!" Hunter said shakily in between coughs. Coal let out an amused purr.

"Your chin is dripping wet!" Coal said laughing.

"No I'm serious!" Hunter said wistfully. "Can't we just play here?"

"Aww okay," Coal muttered defeatedly.

"Yay!" Hunter cheered. Hunter shook his fur and started licking it dry.

"If you beat me!" Coal yowled and tackled Hunter, sending him face first into the water bowl. Hunter pulled his face out and gasped for breath.

"Oh c'mon!" I was just about dry!" He wailed.

"Haha not my problem!" Coal meowed as he jumped out the window. Hunter chased him out across the garden, trampling the catmint and the rosemary.

"I'm going to get you for that!" Hunter yowled playfully. Coal jumped onto the fence and over the other side, Hunter mirrored. Coal ran into the dark pine woods and leapt into a bush. Hunter skidded to a halt on the muddy grassles land.

"What's wrong?" Coal meowed as he popped his head out of the bush.

"I'm not going into the forest!" Hunter hissed backing away.

"Aww why not?" Coal asked.

"The wild cats remember?" Hunter growled, his fur fluffed up. Coal's nose was clogged with the fear scent coming from Hunter.

"They probably don't exist!" Coal shouted, because Hunter was almost backed into the small hole the rabbits enter the garden from. Horror displayed on Hunter's face and he scrambled through the hole. Coal turned to see a large cat lunging out from the darkness.

**Hey all of yous! thanks for reading, and be sure to check out go check out a fanfiction called "The Strength of the Clan" by Firestar the warrior! :D (CHECK VOTE COUNT EVEN IF YOU AREN'T THERE YET TY!)**


	3. Chapter 2

**sorry, I am no longer putting the cats guide in every chapter, instead there is a page that has them (I do update that as the story runs along)**

Coal hit the muddy ground hard when the large heavy cat landed on him, growling in his face. Coal stared up at the cat, it looked so much like a racoon he almost passed out, seeing the narrowed eyes and cat like ears he knew it was a cat. The cat looked down at him with anger.

"You and your little clan aren't allowed here, my group took this over, and unless you're willing to fight us, you will _stay _out of it!" The cat shrieked in his ear.

"I'm not part of a clan! I'm a housecat!" Coal wailed as he tried to struggle out of the cat's powerful grasp, he felt claws dig into his shoulders. He looked up at the cat waiting for him to lean in and hiss something else.

"You still stay out!" The Racoon like cat yowled in his ear. Coal shot his head up and promptly bit the cat's ear, and held on tight. The cat yowled in pain, but Coal held on. The cat tore away from his grip and fell off of him. Coal felt his shoulders stinging, he looked to his shoulder witch was bloody. He turned to the racoon cat, remembering his play battle with Hunter that morning. He tackled the racoon cat while he was still getting up on his shakey feet, though this cat was bigger, so the cat didn't fall. Coal looked up at the racoon cat, his yellow eyes were swimming with rage. _R__un! _a voice yowled in his mind. He ran, dashing across the grassless land, his paws were so light they didn't sink into the muddy earth, while the racoon cat did, slowing him down enough to get away, even with his shoulder injuries. He dashed out onto the ThunderPath, and now racoon cat was catching up. A loud roar filled his ears as he tripped, his shoulder scraped against the hard warm surface of the ThunderPath, until he fell off of the raised surface into the slightly less muddy grass on the other side. The roaring sound had passed. He scrambled to his shakey feet and spun around ready to fight the cat. But the cat lay motionless on the ThunderPath, blood pooling from his now crooked jaw, his eyes were wide with shock, a bone was showing from his shoulder.

"Oh great lord of the fence! That looks bad!" Coal muttered as he stared at the mangled cat.

"It does," A squeaky voice said from behind him, he spun around, seeing two cats about his size, one light, one dark, they both had freckles and spots.

"Sorry, I'm Doepaw, and this my brother Woodpaw," The lighter one mewed happily.

"I-I'm Coal," he said, letting his fur lay back down.

"What clan are you from?" Doepaw piped up.

"I don't recognise your scent," Woodpaw added.

"I'm not in a clan.." Coal meowed.

"Ohh" Doepaw and Woodpaw meowed together. The two exchanged looks at each other and then nodded.

"You probably shouldn't be here," Doepaw whispered.

"Yeah you don't want our mentors to catch you out here," Woodpaw added.

"Uh okay?" Coal meowed. Coal watched them bound away into the forest, though he needed to cross the ThunderPath in order to get home. He padded across the ThunderPath, making it to the body, where he paused.

"Sorry," Coal whispered. He ran across to the other side, and padded away into the darkness of the pine woods.


	4. Chapter 3

Coal hadn't gotten sleep that night, he was too shocked from the experience with the racoon cat. But he was also excited, he almost didn't want to come back to his housefolk. But when he was greeted by welcoming hands and treats, he decided he would. Coal was watching the sunrise over the pine woods, the muddy grassless dirt was covered in puddles from last night's heavy rain. _I should wake Hunter he will be excited to hear about my adventure! _Coal thought. He jumped on to the top of the couch, and out the window. There a small dark orange she-cat was grabbing mouthfuls of catmint from the garden.

"Um..?" Coal meowed as he came to a stop by the catmint. The cat paused, keeping her eyes on the herbs, then looking up slowly.

"Barack awray dwis ish fworm mwy cwam," The she cat growled around her mouthful of catmint. Coal raised an eyebrow. The she-cat put the catmint by her paws.

"Back away this is for my clan!" She spat, putting a paw in front of the stolen herbs. Coal tilted his head.

"You want catmint..?" Coal said slowly. The cat's fur bristled.

"Yes, and I am willing to fight over it _kittypet_," The she-cat growled.

"Uh my name's Coal...and yours is?" Coal said slowly.

"Brightpaw, now I'm taking these, unless you wanna fight over it?" She growled. Coal looked at her curiously. _Okay, she has a weird name, she must be one of those wild cats. It would be weirder for a housecat to want a giant supply of catmint! _Coal thought, holding back a laugh. She picked up the catmint, failing to stuff all of it in her mouth, and made a wild dash for the rabbit hole. Coal carried on with his morning routine. He jumped the fence and crossed over into Hunter's garden. He walked along the smooth wet grass,jumping into puddles along Hunter's garden. He poked his head into the cat flap, Hunter was stretching in his small purple bed by the flap. Coal retreated and stood outside the cat flap, waiting to scare him. As Hunter emerged from the cat flap, and Coal pounced, hanging onto Hunter's shoulders as the racoon cat had, but without the claws. Hunter shrieked and fell to the ground.

"Hey! Get off!" Hunter wailed.

"Get me off," Coal meowed challengingly. Hunter struggled to try to get Coal off, but failed as Coal had with the racoon cat.

"Ugh this isn't fair! I can't get you off!" Hunter meowed as he tried to push Coal off with the kick-off as they called it, but failed.

"I will let go if you go into the forest with me!" Coal meowed.

"Okay I will go into the forest with you!" Hunter yowled. Coal let go and the small orange cat shook his pelt and licked it dry. He paused in mid stroke.

"Wait the forest?" He shrieked.

"Yeah," Coal mewed casually.

"With those terrible shoulder wounds you got in there!" Hunter whispered.

"Yeah."

"You had to go to the vet to get them checked out!" Hunter wailed. "You know I hate the vet!"

"Not my fault you agreed to do it," Coal meowed mischievously. Hunter sighed.

"If I die I will come back as a ghost to haunt you!" Hunter growled.

"Yeah okay," Coal said rolling his eyes. Coal jumped the fence, Hunter hesitated before mirroring his action. "Ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be…" Hunter muttered, together they jumped down the fence. Coal stared calmly into the dark woods, feeling the muddy ground below his paws.

"Like it?" Coal mewed as he turned his head to face his friend.

"It's disgusting! My paws are sinking in the mud!" Hunter wailed.

"Shush, you don't want to alert them do you?" Coal whispered. Hunter's eyes opened wider. "Just kidding just kidding!"

"You scare me," Hunter growled. They continued walking deeper and deeper into the woods, they stopped by a low tree.

"I'm so tired!" Hunter muttered as he gasped for air.

"I'm tired too!" Coal said sarcastically. A frog jumped out of a bush and croaked.

"A-AH!" Hunter shrieked and turned around, just to run into a tree.

"Dude, that was a frog!" Coal shouted. Hunter gave his shoulder an embarrassed lick. They walked along a small stone area, so Hunter didn't sink into the mud. They eventually reached a small stream.

"Want water?" Coal said as he halted by the water's edge.

"Where did you find w-" Hunter was saying before he put his paw in the water, witch he pulled back quicker than you could say one. Moving the leading paw caused him to fall in head first into the water, just as he did with the water bowl, but deeper in. "I hate you."

"Thanks," Coal choked out as he laughed. Hunter climbed out of the water, all of his fur from head to toe was dripping wet, he shook his fur out, making sure to get some on Coal as he did so.

"Hey!" Coal meowed and pounced at Hunter, barreling him into the water, again. Hunter shot his head up above the water to gasp, then desperately clawed at the dirt to drag himself out, but the ground, being wet, wouldn't support his weight. Coal let out an amused purr, standing in the water while Hunter acted like he was drowning.

"Agh help meee!" Hunter wailed as he continuously flailed.

"It's called standing buddy," Coal said between laughs. Hunter stopped flailing and stood. Then jumped out of the water.

"I hate you, I hate water, I hate the forest, I hate the mud, I hate frogs and I hate Tommy!" Hunter spat.

"Haha! Wait- what why do you hate Tommy too?" Coal meowed.

"He was the one who made me scared of this place!" Hunter growled. Coal chuckled and playfully cuffed Hunter's ear. He ducked and backed off, tripping and falling into a bush.

"You okay?" Coal shouted.

"I HATE BUSHES!" Hunter yowled into the dark pine forest.

**(CHECK VOTE COUNT EVEN IF YOU AREN'T THERE YET TY!)**


	5. Chapter 4

Coal returned to the comfort of the couch, where he curled on the top of the couch, watching the moon rise above the treetops, he let out a sigh and closed his eyes. Finally for some shut eye. He awoke in a completely dark room.

"Hello?" He shouted into the darkness, his voice echoing off the walls. He spun around, desperately searching for something _anything _other than the darkness. He tripped on something, his heart stopped for a second, and he landed in a small pool. He thrashed violently, not knowing where the shore was, finally finding a stone to hold onto he dragged himself out of the freezing waters. From feeling observation the rock was oddly smooth and flat.

"Hunter! Someone! Please!" Coal wailed into the darkness, he scrambled away from the water, where there were more flat stones. Things were suddenly lit up, Coal staggered away. The small pool had been lit up. Coal stared at the glowing pool, then to the slippery ground, there was a path of paw prints leading from the top of the stone hollow and down to the pool.

"W-whoa," Coal meowed with his eyes wide, A silvery cat appeared in front of him.

"Coal, you must-" The silver cat began.

"WAKE UP!" Yowled a voice that shocked him back into reality. Hunter was shaking him violently.

"Ah! Stop that Hunter!" Coal yowled as he pushed Hunter off the couch. Hunter got back up and shook his fur.

"C'mon I am going to the vet today!" Hunter mewed with a worried tone to his voice. Coal looked at him with horror.

"Do you remember what happened to Tommy? He doesn't feel like doing anything, he's been lazier than a fat rat!" Coal wailed.

"I'm not going to be lazy, right?" Hunter meowed, terror filling his eyes. A housefolk from the other garden called to Hunter. Hunter jumped out the window. "Wish me luck, see you later!"  
"Sadly I won't see _you _later!" Coal muttered under his breath as Hunter jumped the fence. Coal now turned his head to the couch. _I need to have that dream again_ Coal thought. Coal curled up for some sleep once more. Coal awoke in the same dark room again.

"Listen silver cat! Just tell me what I have to do!" Coal hollered into the darkness. But nothing happened. He rolled his eyes and stepped forward carefully. _One more step _something told him. He spun around, it sounded like the voice from the time with the racoon cat, then, the voice had told him to run.

"Who are you?" He shouted. he turned to the original direction. _Okay, it told me one more step_ Coal thought to himself. He let out a sigh and stepped forward, meeting the smooth surface of the flat rocks. Water crept up the rock and lapped his feet gently. Suddenly the pool lit up the darkness once more, and the silvery cat appeared.

"Coal," The cat paused. "You must find-" The cat was interrupted by barking.

"Oh my fence what now?" Coal growled. A small white dog stared at him, barking. Coal's eyes flew wide open, he immediately jumped to his feet, fur bristling, back arched. The dog tipped his head to the side, and then got in a pounce position, growling. Coal hissed at the dog, swiping at its nose. And was interrupted by the housefolk yelling at him. Coal rolled his eyes and leaped out the window. _Great, i'm not getting any sleep with that dog barking his brains out! _Coal thought in disgust. Coal leapt onto the fence outside of his garden, looking of into the distance. _Maybe I can find the place my dream was talking about? _Coal thought as he jumped down onto the other side of the fence. He walked along the muddy ground, staring up at the thick pine needle covering, it seemed to be making it seem almost night. He halted in a area that had some grass, a big squirrel was enjoying a beetle it had found. Coal quietly walked across the muddy land, he crouched ready to spring. But something beat him to it, a large fluffy light brown cat sprung and landed on the squirrel, killing it by breaking its neck. The cat looked up at him, raising his little nub tail. his creepy light blue eyes displayed no emotion as he stared at him with his frosty piercing gaze.

**Haha here's a test! Who is this brown furred blue eyed cat? Who ever anwers first and correctly gets a shout out! UWU (It's not cheating if you look at the cats of ShadowClan from the earlier chapters)**


	6. Chapter 5

**lovefur got it right! He is Waspwhisker! (I'm glad someone read the cats :D)**

The mysterious cat stared at him and flicked his tiny tail.

"Why are you here again?" The tom meowed, nothing even in his eyes gave away any anger or curiosity.

"Uh I was just…" Coal paused to think, "I was taking a walk."  
"A walk," The cat repeated. Coal nodded.

"I am Waspwhisker, warrior of ShadowClan," The cat meowed, his cool blue eyes remained guarded.

"I'm Coal!" Coal said, sitting down.

"I know," Waspwhisker said, he continued staring him down.

"Wh-what?" Coal meowed, not trying to disguise the fear in his voice.

"I was watching when you were being attacked by Racoon," Waspwhisker said sitting down. "I almost thought you were crowfood,"

"Crowfood?" Coal repeated. Waspwhisker nodded.

"You put up quite the fight for a little kit," Waspwhisker meowed. Coal stood up to back away.

"I was wondering kit," Waspwhisker continued. "Why are you taking a walk?" Coal's eyes widened.

"Well," He paused. _Should I tell him about the silver cat? _"I was bored," Coal said quickly. Waspwhisker's eyes narrowed, he sensed the lie. Coal backed off. He laughed nervously. "Great lord of the fence! I gotta go!" Coal said and forced a laugh. Waspwhisker stood up. Coal dashed for the safety of the stream Hunter had fallen in the night before, plunging into the depths and swam across, he turned to see Waspwhisker had followed him! Waspwhisker quickly caught up and dragged him out of the water.

"I was also in RiverClan once, so don't try that," He hissed in Coal's ear. Coal tried to struggle away, but being off the ground he couldn't get away. Waspwhisker put him down. Coal arched his back, water was dripping from his pelt, but even more so Waspwhisker. Waspwhisker's long fur was flattened to his body, his eyes were calm.

"You're not attacking me?" Coal asked as he tipped his head.

"No," Waspwhisker said narrowing his eyes. "But I might," He growled. Coal jumped and ran, hearing Waspwhisker crack up with laughter. But still didn't turn back.


	7. Chapter 6

"Coal," a voice whispered. Coal swung his head around but saw no one.

"Coal," a deeper voice said a little louder.

"Coal," a squeaky voice said at an inside volume.

"Coal!" a slightly deeper voice from before meowed.

"Coal hurry!" a different voice cried.

"Coal go!" a similar voice cried.

"Coal they need help!"

"Coal hurry!"

"Go it's almost too late!" a voice wailed into the darkness, their voice fading slowly. Coal's eyes flew open, and he was on the same red couch as every morning, in the same white room with the same half open window, showing the same dark pines. Coal let out a sigh of relief, it was a dream. But it was oddly vivid, and terrifying. Coal sat up, stretching his shaky legs. It was almost sun high. Woah what! Why is Hunter not up yet? Coal thought nervously. Coal quickly jumped out the window and into his yard, to see Brightpaw again, raiding the catmint. He just walked by ignoring the cat. Brightpaw looked up at him in mid bite, he jaw was open ready to grab the pile of stolen herbs.

"You know you can take the roots and grow some closer to wherever you take them?" Coal asked while jumping onto the fence ready to cross into Hunter's garden.

"Oh the cat in that garden told me to tell you he would be back, he was going with his twolegs to a family member's mouse," Brightpaw said before tearing one with the root still attached.

"House not mouse," Coal meowed and jumped back into his own garden. Brightpaw nodded. "Want help with that?" Coal said as he grabbed a large clump that she had been forced to leave behind. Brightpaw hesitated then nodded. She ducked into the rabbit hole (witch had gotten larger now) and made her way to the woods. Coal followed along, sort of happy he could walk with someone in the forest, but sort of nervous because of the two encounters with larger cats. Brightpaw slowly made it into a small clearing where a silver colored she-cat (about their age) was picking at small flowers.

"Hey, Mistypaw! I brought some catmint!" Brightpaw said as she put down a clump of catmint.

"You also brought a cat too," Mistypaw murmured and looked up. Brightpaw's face screwed up.

"Well he was just the kittypet that lived in the garden, he offered to help me carry some.

"Yes, but would Waspwhisker react very happily seeing you two runnin' around the forest with catmint? Brightpaw flinched.

"No," Brightpaw muttered. She turned to Coal.

"I should go," Coal meowed as he put the catmint on the ground in front of his paws.

"No wait! Let me introduce you to my brother!" Brightpaw mewed. Coal stopped and looked at Brightpaw.

"Okay," He said happily. Brightpaw ran off in a direction and disappeared into an area with slightly more grass than other places.

"What is your name?" Mistypaw meowed.

"Coal," He said, staring at the ground. "Will Waspwhisker come here?"

"No," Mistypaw said as she picked up the catmint in a large leaf.

"So why did you tell that to Brightpaw?" Coal said tipping his head.

"He might have watched you two coming here," Mistypaw meowed. Coal shivered at the thought of the large warrior attacking him.

"You're not from a clan are you?" She said as she took the small bundle of carefully wrapped catmint over to a piece of wood bark. She placed the bundle on the wood bark and went back to make another bundle.

"No, but why do you lot need catmint?" Coal meowed.

"Leafbare is coming, each leafbare we get snow, and each leafbare we run out of catmint which helps with green cough, which comes each leafbare," Mistypaw explained. Coal's head was spinning with all that he had learned in one day. Leafbare? Greencough? Snow? Coal thought.

"Okay," He said, desperate to break the silence.

"Hey! Brightpaw I was about to catch that!" A voice wailed from the direction Brightpaw had left.

"You hunt like a kittypet! You wouldn't have caught that even if I didn't interrupt you!"

"Not true!"

"Last one to Mistypaw has badger breath!"

"Hey thats not fair!"

"Not my problem badger breath!" Brightpaw hissed. Brightpaw bounded into the clearing, a black tom right behind her, the tom leaped and landed on top of Mistypaw.

"Who's badger breath?" The tom hissed. Brightpaw rolled her eyes.

"get off or I will feed you death berries in your sleep!" Mistypaw snarled. The tom squealed like a kit and jumped off. He dashed to Brightpaw.

"You planned this!" He hissed at Brightpaw. Brightpaw nodded and laughed.

"What's going on here?" A sandy she-cat snarled from the branches.

**first things first shoutouts Kuroimori for reviewing! quiz time! who's the sandy cat? first one to answer gets shout out.**


	8. Chapter 7

**Le cry, no one guessed it, here's the chapter.**

The tabby stared down at them, growling.

"You!" The wild she-cat spat. Coal flinched.

"I was helping Brightpaw and Mistypaw!" Coal cried trying to shrink away.

"Well, you should help them more often!" The she-cat's voice softened. Coal almost choked on his spit.

"Help them more?" Coal echoed with bewilderment.

"Yes. Waspwhisker told me about you," The she-cat said as she climbed down from the branches.

"Waspwhisker? Where!" Coal screeched and hid behind Mistypaw. Mistypaw rolled her eyes. The she-cat chucked.

"He isn't that scary all the time," The she-cat meowed, she was now in front of Mistypaw.

"Ha I knew that!" Coal said and sat up.

"My name is Larkwing, and I'm the medicine cat of ShadowClan!" Larkwing said, twitching her ear.

"I'm-" Coal began. _Oh she probably knows already_ Coal thought and smiled awkwardly at the ground.

"I heard about how you got rid of Racoon," Larkwing meowed.

"Oh was he from your cradow clam?" Coal said alarmed.

"SHADOWCLAN!" Mistypaw yowled in his ear. Brightpaw let out an amused purr. Twistpaw chuckled.

"Oh fence! Excuse my hearing!" Coal mewed with a laugh at the end.

"Fence?" Larkwing said tipping her head to the side.

"Yeah! The wooden things us kittypets sit on?" Coal explained.

"What? You don't smell like a kittypet!" Larkwing meowed as she sniffed the air again.

"Oh well I come out here often," Coal meowed hastily.

"And no, Racoon was not part of ShadowClan, he was actually an enemy of us," Larkwing explained.

"Oh so I'm good?" Coal mewed.

"Yes, you're actually a hero among some of us, he has terrorised our sick clan for too long. Taking our prey and our territory, Waspwhisker was out to fight Racoon, but saw you and wanted to see what would happen," Twistpaw meowed, looking at him with approval. _I thought the clans hated kittypets? _Coal thought but pushed it away.

"Oh well I uh I didn't even do it," Coal meowed modestly.

"Sure, it was a monster, but he wouldn't have been in the ThunderPath if it weren't for you!" Larkwing insisted. Coal stared down at his paws. Brightpaw shoved him to the side.

"Stop being so modest! It's killing me!" Brightpaw growled. Coal couldn't help but purr. There was something in between them. Like a weird connection, almost as if they were littermates. _But that wasn't possible, right? _Coal shuddered at the thought. If they were littermates why did he end up with a housefolk, and why did Brightpaw and Twistpaw end up in the woods?

"I must be going, I have something I need to check," Coal meowed and turned away, making his way out of the woods.


	9. Chapter 8

He ran, faster than he ever had! A new energy had filled him _I have to find my mother! _Coal thought. He was checking gardens, hopping fence to fence. _I've seen her around here before! Where could she have gone? _Coal frantically searched the gardens, and jumped to other fences.

"Coal?" A familiar voice meowed from behind him, Coal spun around.

"Twistpaw? What are you doing here?" Coal hissed.

"I'm sorry! I have to help you! I want to find my mother too!" Twistpaw wailed.

"Okay, you can come," Coal mewed. "What does she look like?"

"She is bright red and she has green eyes," Twistpaw said. Coal's eyes flashed with alarm. "My dad showed me and Brightpaw to her when we had just become apprentices."

"What's her name..?" Coal said slowly.

"Ruby!" Twistpaw meowed. Coal nearly fell off the fence.

"We are brothers?" Coal shrieked. Twispaw suddenly looked alarmed too.

"We are?" Twistpaw said, his jaw falling. Coal looked at him closely, they both had the same black coat, but Twistpaw had caramel spots all over him, while Coal only had them on his paws, tip of his tail, and on his forehead. Twistpaw had emerald green eyes while Coal had one emerald green and one bright yellow.

"We look alike…" Coal whispered. "And Brightpaw looks like mom but darker…"

"And we have similar eyes," Twistpaw finished. Coal looked at him for a moment.

"Do you think Brightpaw knows?" Coal said at last. Twistpaw shook his head.

"It's not likely."  
"Yeah…" Coal mewed. Coal looked down. "You still wanna find mom? It's almost dark, she won't be in her garden."  
"Yeah, let's do that some other day. I'll ask Brightpaw to take be to your garden!" Twistpaw meowed.

"Okay, see you tomorrow!" Coal said.

"See you!" Twistpaw meowed and jumped down, back into the forest. Coal watched him go, and hopped along the fences, slowly making his way to his garden. Coal jumped down and landed on the grass, he walked along the garden, and jumped through the window. Landing on the usual couch. He looked down to where the new dog named Snowball was fast asleep on the rug. He curled up, facing the moon as it climbed the sky. He let out a yawn, and slowly gave in to sleep.

"COAL!" A voice wailed. The sound of barking startled him awake.

"Huh? Wha- Hunter?" Coal stammered and shot up to his paws. The barking continued.

"No it's me Twistpaw!" Twistpaw wailed again.

"Where are you?" Coal yowled. Twistpaw was on a table, against the edge trying to avoid Snowball.

"I'm here!" Twistpaw cried.

"Snowball! Bad!" Coal yowled. The dog stopped barking. Coal puffed up his chest, and rose his tail so he seemed bigger than Snowball. Snowball backed away, casting death glares to Twistpaw.

"Thanks! Twistpaw mewed as he shook his ruffled fur.

"It was nothing, but we should probably leave before Snowball gets any ideas," Coal said and jumped out the window, soon followed by Twistpaw. Coal cast a look at Hunter's house, it had been a while since he had seen his good friend. "I have something I need to do," Coal muttered. He jumped onto the fence and over to Hunter's garden. He walked along the garden to Hunter's cat flap. _Hope this goes okay, _Coal thought. He pushed through the cat flap, and into the room. Hunter was laying on a couch, sleeping. Coal smiled mischievously. He walked across the room, and grabbed Hunter by the collar, he dragged Hunter across the room to the food room, where all the food gets made. He jumped the counter, and put Hunter in the sink. He swatted at the circle thingy a couple times and the water turned on. Hunter's eyes widened with shock. He shrieked and scrambled frantically out of the sink, and slid off the counter.

"Coal what do you want?" Hunter grumbled.

"I wanted to show you my brother!" Coal meowed.

"I was sleeping! Couldn't you have waited or something?" Hunter growled and shook himself off.

"When has sleeping ever gotten in the way of anything?" Coal mewed.

"Look, I'm fine, I just want some peace and quiet for once!" Hunter grumbled and pulled himself up onto the nearest sofa. Coal felt like he had been stabbed in the back.

"But Hunter-!" Coal began.

"Go hang out with your brother!" Hunter hissed. Coal felt a stab of pain. _What did I do? _Coal stared for a moment longer. Then his gaze hardened.

"Whatever, at least my brother isn't a backstabbing traitor!" Coal yowled. He dashed from the cat flap, he didn't even look back.


	10. Cats (Pls check often I do change this)

**ShadowClan**

**Leader:** Froststar: a white tom with cold blue eyes

**Deputy:** Emberfoot: a dark ginger tabby she-cat with dull green eyes

_Apprentice: Bugpaw_

**MedCat:** Mistysnow: a silver blind she-cat with a blue-gray paw

**Warriors:**

Thistletooth: a dark gray tom with bright hazel eyes and black stripes

_Apprentice: Cocoapaw_

Waspwhisker: a fluffy light brown tom with a stubby tail and light blue eyes

Mudtail: a dark gray she-cat with yellow eyes

_Apprentice: Brightpaw_

Batclaw: a black tom with skinny legs and a fluffy neck

_Apprentice: Hoppaw_

Smallfoot: a gray blue she-cat with stubby legs and hazel eyes

_Apprentice: Shadepaw_

LeafTail: a sandy tom with blue eyes

_Apprentice: Twistpaw_

Iceleaf: a white tom with silver paws and frosty blue eyes

Fidgetpounce: a dark brown tom with amber eyes and a stutter

Foxtail: a bright red tom with black feet and a fluffy tail

Silverfern: a silver she-cat with frosty blue eyes

Birdfeather: a silver she-cat with black ear tufts

Poppyleaf: a chocolate brown she-cat with odd red eyes

**Apprentices:**

Twistpaw: a black tom with caramel spots and bright yellow eyes

Brightpaw: a dark orange she-cat with bright yellow eyes with a black face and shoulder

Hoppaw: a chocolate brown tom with pink eyes and white feet

Bugpaw: a white tom with light blue eyes and a brown tail

Cocoapaw: a brown she-cat with white spots and frosty blue eyes

Shadepaw: a dark brown she-cat with red eyes

**Queens:**

Hazelstorm: a brown she-cat with green eyes

kits: Toadkit(a rare tortoiseshell tom with green eyes)

**Elders (sorry I forgot to include them!):**

Thorntail: a gray tom with blue eyes

Featherleap: a deaf silver she-cat with dull yellow eyes

Mosslake: A black cat with green eyes

**ThunderClan:**

**Warriors:**

Doefeather: a green eyed pale brown she-cat with freckles and spots on her back.

Woodtail: a green eyed dark brown tom with freckles and spots on his back

**RiverClan:**

**Leader:** Pebblestar: a large gray tom with amber eyes

**Deputy:** Mudfur: a brown tabby tom with green eyes

**MedCat:** Lillyfur: a dull red she-cat with black spots and blue eyes

_Apprentice: Reedpaw (a red-brown tom with blue eyes)_

**Warriors:**

Rainclaw: a massive black tom with a gray muzzle and dark blue eyes

Redcreek: a bright red she-cat with amber eyes and white feet

_Apprentice: Webpaw (a white tom with long thin legs and gray eyes)_

Frogfoot: a gray tom with green eyes

_Apprentice: Puddlepaw (A fluffy brown she-cat with a stub tail and yellow eyes) (sister to Waspwhisker)_

Shallowfoot: a rare tortoiseshell tom with blue eyes

**Cats outside the clans:**

Coal: a black furred kittypet with a caramel heart shape on his forehead and mixed eyes (green and yellow)

Hunter: a small fiery orange kittypet with bright blue eyes

Speckle: a young tortoiseshell kittypet with light green eyes


	11. Chapter 9

"Hey what happened in there? I was debating on going in there to check on you," Twistpaw meowed.

"Nothing, I just want to ask you something," Coal said carefully.

"Anything for my brother!" Twistpaw mewed.

"Would you teach me how to hunt?" Coal asked looking down.

"Of course!" Twistpaw meowed. Twistpaw jumped down from the fence to go to the woods. Coal mirrored. They reached the Thunderpath witch Racoon had been killed. "This is my favorite place to hunt!"

"Why is it your favorite?" Coal asked.

"Well, for one, the prey is REALLY fat here!" Twistpaw meowed. "Second, We made a tunnel! Back when Harestar was the leader he hated these three cats, and those cats were named Thorntail, Jadetooth and Harepounce!" Twistpaw explained.

"And why did he hate them?" Coal said tipping his head.

"Because they picked on him for all of Harestar's apprenticeship, but believe it or not our father Patchclaw was Thorntail's apprentice! So Harestar held our dad back from his training, Oakstar was furious!" Twistpaw mewed.

"Oh why was Oakstar furious?" Coal asked.

"He's Patchclaw's father!" Twistpaw said.

"Oh."  
"And so Patchclaw and his friends who's mentors happened to be the people the leader hated decided to dig a meeting spot away from camp!" Twistpaw explained. "They were debating on making a rogue clan!"

"Woah that's cool!"

"But so they met there everyday, and now it is a common hunting spot for ShadowClan."  
"Where is it?"

"Over here!" Twistpaw mewed and dashed over to a thorn bush.

"It's just a thorn bush!" Coal meowed.

"No, look closer at the roots!" Twistpaw said pointing at the thorn patch with his tail. Coal looked at the roots, There was a large gaping black hole beneath the roots. Twistpaw bounced over to the roots. He crawled under the thin roots Coal followed. The cave was large and dark, there was a large log in the side of the clearing. The smell of mouse was overpowering. He watched as Twistpaw dropped down into a crouch, moving gently and slowly to the mouse. He put his feet down so softly it wasn't audible. He pounced at a short distance, killing it with a blow to the spine.

"Wow! Can I try?" Coal mewed. "I'll give them to you to take to your clan!"

"Ok! I'm sure Ratscar won't mind!" Twistpaw meowed cheerfully.

**Hour later**

Coal had made a pile of about seven fat mice and three squirrels by sunhigh, Twistpaw had eight fat mice.

"You did great!" Twistpaw meowed. He was still catching his breath from chasing a squirrel up a tree, but failed to catch it.

"Haha, you too!" Coal said as he made a fine pile.

"How do we get it back to camp? It's hard to carry two!" Twistpaw muttered. Coal shrugged.

"Could I help you take it there?" Coal mewed.

"Maybe, you do have a good reputation with the clan," Twistpaw said thoughtfully.

"Okay, then we will come back for the rest later!" Coal meowed and grabbed three mice by the tails. Twistpaw did the same. They carefully picked their way through the slightly more common patches of grass.

"We are almost there," Twistpaw said around his mouthful of mouse tails. Coal nodded, they got to a giant crack in a large stone that towered over them.

"This is camp!" Twistpaw mewed. They climbed through the crack, and entered into a dimly lit cave, pine needles littered the ground. Some young cats about their age were standing by a fallen tree, one that had dark brown fur and amber eyes was joking around, Brightpaw was talking with a she-cat that was a silver gray she-cat with black lynx tufts and freckles on her cheeks. Some older cats were on the other side of the tree, eating and talking to each other. Larkwing and a warrior that was dark brown and amber eyes (and looked a lot like the funny apprentice) were chatting along with a slightly smaller white tom by a small cave with a fern covering..

"Woah!" Coal said dropping his jaw.

"This does look impressive," Twistpaw said with a shrug.

"Who is this?" A gray she-cat with a red tail growled.

"This is Coal!" Twistpaw meowed. "He was helping me carry some prey back! Gotta save up for leafbare!" Twistpaw meowed nervously. "Anyways, Coal this is Ratscar!"

"Ugh, this kittypet has nothing else to do?" Ratscar growled. Waspwhisker elbowed her.

"He means thankyou for helping young Coal," Waspwhisker said through his teeth. "Right Ratscar?"

"Yup," Ratscar said sarcastically. Waspwhisker made a low growling noise and Ratscar nodded more enthusiastically. Waspwhisker chuckled.

"It's nice to see you again," Waspwhisker meowed. Ratscar dashed off to the warriors' den, obviously intimidated by Waspwhisker. Brightpaw looked over in their direction as she mewed something to the lynx like cat. The lynx like cat's brilliant blue eyes widened into full moons. Then she turned to whisper to Brightpaw.

"Y-yeah nice to see you too," Coal meowed absently. His eyes scanned the crowd for familiar faces. He spotted Mistypaw putting a small bundle in front of a kit, that scrunched up its nose and pulled away.

"This place is pretty amazing I guess," Ratscar muttered. Waspwhisker was staring proudly, scanning the crowd too. Waspwhisker's long light fur blew back as a strong breeze came from deeper down the tunnel. Ratscar turned his face to Coal. "Oakstar wanted to meet you one day, today might be his lucky day," Ratscar growled. Coal nodded.

"Fidgetpaw!" Waspwhisker called out to the dark brown apprentice that was joking around, he turned to Waspwhisker.

"C-coming Wa-Waspwhisker!" Fidgetpaw meowed. Fidgetpaw darted to Waspwhisker.

"Could you show Coal to Oakstar?" Waspwhisker mewed. Fidgetpaw nodded.

"I'm F-Fidgetpaw! Y-you must b-be C-Coal!" Fidgetpaw said as he bounced up and down.

"Yes, am I really that popular?" Coal said, feeling his paws tingle with embarrassment. Fidgetpaw nodded and darted to the group of cats with the dark brown tom and the white tom and the black tom. Coal dashed after him.

"T-This is C-Coal, C-Coal th-this is O-Oakstar!" Fidgetpaw meowed and bounced up and down.

"Coal eh?" Oakstar meowed and looked up at Coal from the mouse he was eating.

"I'm Icepaw!" The large white tom meowed. The black tom's eyes widened.

"C-Coal?" The tom said as he stood up.

"Yes..?" Coal said slowly. Brightpaw ran over with Twistpaw.

"Coal! This is our dad!" Twistpaw meowed.


	12. Chapter 10

"I had no clue we were related.." Brightpaw mewed. The tom turned to face Coal.

"Coal, I'm Patchclaw, nice to meet you," Patchclaw said, his eyes showed full bewilderment.

"You were supposed to live with twolegs.." Patchclaw muttered. Then his eyes brightened with happiness. "Well now I can see all of my kits!"  
"Yeah," Coal smiled at the ground. Oakstar chuckled.

"Coal, may I speak to you, alone?" Oakstar mewed. Brightpaw and Twistpaw scampered off to the other apprentices, with Icepaw on their tails. Larkwing slowly got up and stalked off to where Mistypaw was stuffing herbs down a kits throat.

"Yes?" Coal said, masking his odd fear of being alone with this cat.

"Hey, we won't forget what you have done for us. But you are still a kittypet, and you must not come back to our territory," Oakstar said with a growl. Coal's heart sank. _But why? _Coal thought sadly. He dipped his head respectfully and backed off a little.

"I understand," Coal mewed.

"You can say bye to your littermates."  
"Thank you.." Coal muttered as he walked off to the mob of apprentices that Brightpaw and Twistpaw were talking to. "Hey Twistpaw? Brightpaw? I have to-"

"Oh Coal! We need to introduce you to everyone!" Brightpaw mewed. "This is Birdpaw, the silver one that looks like a lynx!" Brightpaw meowed pointing to Birdpaw with her tail. "And this is Foxpaw, the one that looks like a fox! And this is Silverpaw, Icepaw and Mistypaw's littermates!"

"Cool, I'm Coal," Coal meowed. Coal looked down sadly and opened his mouth to talk. Fidgetpaw came bounding over.

"Y-you se-seen Icepaw? I h-heard he was g-going t-to talk t-to his m-mother b-but she w-went on p-patrol ag-again!" Fidgetpaw explained hastily.

"Oh uh no, haven't seen him," Silverpaw meowed. Brightpaw shook her head. Bridpaw bit her lip, trying to think.

"W-well th-thank you for y-your time!" Fidgetpaw meowed as he quickly dipped his head and dashed off.

"Fidgetpaw is the fastest warrior in all of ShadowClan! No one here except for Foxpaw could match him!" Bridpaw mewed, her eyes glittering with admiration. Fidgetpaw was asking a brown she-cat and a white tom who were standing by a mini mountain of mice, birds, squirrels and frogs. The brown she-cat shook her head. The white tom said something and Fidgetpaw ran in the direction of the nursery. Coal turned to Foxpaw, who was sitting by Twistpaw. Foxpaw's eyes clouded with unguarded jealousy.

"I think Icepaw and me are going to be warriors soon!" Foxpaw mewed as he lay down.

"Yeah, but I also heard rumors of a RiverClan spy somewhere!" Bridpaw meowed with a shiver.

"Rumors are rumors and probably nothing more, I would shred any RiverClan spy that set foot in our territory!" Foxpaw stood up and flexed his claws.

"Haha, a RiverClan cat could feed your scrawny little self to a fish!" Brightpaw said playfully batting at Foxpaw's long thin legs. Twistpaw growled playfully guarding his friend.

"Yeah, you need to eat more! You're too thin!" Birdpaw mewed in agreement. Foxpaw's eyes glittered with embarrassment.

"Am not!" Foxpaw sat down, licking his shoulder fur. Birdpaw giggled and Brightpaw rolled her eyes.

"I have to leave," Coal meowed as he shot a glance at Oakstar, who was watching them carefully.

"Aww why?" Brightpaw mewed.

"Yeah why so soon?" Twistpaw tipped his head. "You've been very helpful!"

"Yeah but Oakstar doesn't want me here for long," Coal explained.

"Aww see you Coal!" Foxpaw mewed. Birdpaw looked bummed. Brightpaw's eyes were guarded and Silverpaw stalked off to their den. Coal turned and walked along the camp, headed to the exit.

"Coal!" Waspwhisker meowed and bounded over.

"Oh h-hi Waspwhisker," Coal mewed. Painfully remembering the first time meeting him.

"I'll take you home!" Waspwhisker's long fluffy fur snagged at the edges of the crack.

"Why did you act all mean on our first encounter?" Coal asked as he pushed into the forest. Waspwhisker thought for a second.

"Eh, I do that to new cats!" Waspwhisker said cheerfully.

"New cats?" Coal repeated. Waspwisker nodded.

"First impressions, other clans. I want to seem tough and scary."

"Cool," Coal thought about it for a moment, ShadowClan had seemed so friendly and almost as close as a family! But from the outside of the camp they seemed like dangerous kit eating monsters. They walked along the Thunderpath now. A monster zoomed by, Coal flinched but Waspwhisker walked confidently. They had reached Coal's garden now.

"I have to leave you here, I can not follow you any farther into the twoleg place," Waspwhisker meowed, shrinking away at the sound of a housefolk shouting.

"You're not scared of monsters but you are scared of housefolk?" Coal tipped his head to the side.

"What are housefolk? But any cat should be scared of twolegs!" Waspwhisker's eyes narrowed as he backed closer to a bush.

"Housefolk is that!" Coal pointed with his tail at a housefolk kit walking.

"Oh that's a twoleg!" Waspwhisker exchanged a look with Coal. _I wonder why he turned to a ShadowClan cat if he was from LiverClam?_

"Hey Waspwhisker?" Coal said slowly.

"Yes?"  
"Why did you leave LiverClam?" Coal mewed looking down.

"LiverClam? You mean RiverClan right?" Waspwhisker said with an amused purr.

"Oh yes, excuse my hearing!" Coal said hastily.

"Do you have hearing problems?" Waspwhisker nudged him with his nose.

"What are hearing plumbs?" Coal mewed.

"PROBLEMS!" Mistypaw growled from the bushes, making Waspwhisker jump.

"Excuse my hearing!" Coal laughed.

"I almost jumped out of my fur Mistypaw! How did you find us?" Waspwhisker meowed, his eyes wide.

"You lot are noisier than a three legged badger!" Mistypaw grumbled.

"Who peed on her mouse?" Waspwhisker whispered into Coal's ear. Coal suppressed a laugh and turned to Mistypaw.

"Sorry Mistypaw!" Coal mewed.

"Can you two help me and Larkwing find catmint, juniper and rosemary?" Mistypaw meowed.

"Sure! But I have to go," Coal backed off towards his fence. "I have catmint in here, you can have it!" Coal went through the rabbit hole and into his garden. He dashed to the catmint supply and picked the stalks, making sure to grab the roots on some of them. He dashed out from his garden and back to Waspwhisker, who was picking rosemary near a bush on the other side of the thunderpath.

"Oh 'ello Cwoal I wowald alk byuat I habve rowmawy in mwy mouw," Waspwhisker mewed with his mouthful of Rosemary. Coal let out a laugh. Mistypaw stalked over to them.

"You lot come back to camp with me so I can put it in the supply, I already took the juniper back," Mistypaw turned to the direction of their camp. _Wait! Oakstar doesn't want to see me again! _Coal frantically thought up excuses NOT to go to their camp. _I could just tell them the truth? Or tell them that I can't follow them because my tw-housefolk want me back my sunhigh? _Coal's head was buzzing with ideas.

"Uhm gwuys?" Coal tried to say around his catmint.

"What?" Mistypaw grumbled. Coal put down the catmint in front of him.

"Oakstar doesn't want me on you guy's territory," Coal said looking down at the catmint. Waspwhisker almost choked on his rosemary.

"W-wha? Whay?" Waspwhisker's mew was muffled by rosemary. He put down the rosemary. "You have only been helpful to us! Why does Oakstar not want to see you in our territory?" Waspwhisker meowed, his eyes as wide as moons.

"I don't know," Coal mewed looking down. Waspwhisker's eyes glittered with anger,

"That Oakstar!" Waspwhisker spat.

"Wha-why don't you like him?" Coal was taken aback by Waspwhisker's sudden hate for Oakstar.

"He won't turn my apprentice Fidgetpaw into a warrior! He's older than Icepaw and knows everything! But he won't turn him into a warrior because I'm his mentor! Fidgetpaw is even his son but hates him for his stutter!" Waspwhisker growled.

"Why doesn't he want Fidgetpaw to be a warrior?" Coal sat down.

"He hates me! I used to be a RiverClan cat! Most of my apprenticeship was in RiverClan, but I joined when Oakstar was still deputy," Waspwhisker explained. "And I was-am better than him at everything so he hates me for that."  
"Ha! Someone's jealous!" Coal laughed.

"Yeah if you put it that way!" Waspwhisker laughed along with him. Coal looked at Mistypaw, who was waiting.

"So should I still go to the camp or no?" Coal said quietly.

"Yes, I'll deal with Oakstar!" Waspwhisker growled.


	13. Chapter 11

"What is this kittypet doing here again? Waspwhisker! Explain!" Oakstar spat. Waspwhisker gave him a glare as he led the way to the medicine den. He put the supply of rosemary down and pointed out where the catmint went. Coal nodded and put it there. Waspwhisker stalked out of the den, his light blue eyes were glittering with hatred.

"He was helping us," Waspwhisker growled.

"I told him not to come back!" Oakstar snarled. Ratscar jumped out from the warriors' den, her eyes wide.

"Oakstar what's wrong?" Ratscar's dull eyes were wider than full moons. Her eyes darted to Waspwhisker, who was snarling.

"Get away traitor!" Oakstar snarled at Ratscar, she flinched.

"I'm not a traitor Oakst-" Ratscar began.

"Then you would defend your leader against this-this fish cat! Not become his mate!" Oakstar spat. Oakstar got into a hunting crouch, his fur bristling.

"Oakstar! Stop! Wait don't-" Ratscar meowed as she darted across the clearing. Oakstar leaped at Waspwhisker, claws out. Coal's eyes widened. _Do something! _Coal growled at himself. Oakstar landed on top of a shocked Waspwhisker. Fidgetpaw shot across the clearing and tackled Oakstar.

"D-Dad st-stop!" Fidgetpaw growled. Oakstar snarled and threw Fidgetpaw off. Fidgetpaw slammed into the rock where the leader would stand to address the clan.

"Fidgetpaw you are a traitor!" Oakstar snarled. Waspwhisker tackled Oakstar to the ground before he attacked Fidgetpaw. Everyone was staring wide eyed, not knowing what side to take. Ratscar tore Waspwisker off of Oakstar and held down Oakstar herself.

"Oakstar, stop this nonsense!" Ratscar growled. Oakstar lunged up and tore into Ratscar's belly. Ratscar yelped. Waspwhisker let out a war cry and lunged at Oakstar, forcing him to let go of Ratscar. Ratscar fell limp to the ground, and let out a cry. Waspwhisker stared down at Ratscar, horror spread across his face.

"R-Ratscar no!" Waspwhisker wailed. Ratscar's dull blue eyes still wide with shock. Waspwhisker let out a wail and crumpled next to Ratscar. Oakstar stared at Waspwhisker, his eyes glowing with hatred. Fidgetpaw stood on shaky feet. Waspwhisker laid, is nose buried in Ratscar's gray fur.

"Go," Ratscar growled. He looked up from Ratscar. Turning his face, his eyes were simmering with hate.

"You will pay for that Oakstar!" Waspwhisker snarled and launched himself at Oakstar, his long white claws stretched out. He seemed so much stronger than the thin Oakstar. He landed on Oakstar in a flurry of claws. Larkwing hurried over to Ratscar.

"Mistypaw! Get cobwebs! Marigold and Comfrey!" Larkwing yowled. Mistypaw frantically grabbed herbs from the piles, but not able to carry the cobwebs in one trip.

"Coal! Grab the cobwebs for me!" Mistypaw yowled behind her shoulder as she darted off to Larkwing. Coal used his paw to grab the cobwebs and limped over as fast as he could. Mistypaw was putting the marigold and comfrey on Ratscar's belly. He gave the cobwebs to Larkwing who immediately started putting them on Ratscar's wound once Mistypaw had finished. Coal swung his head to watch the fight between Waspwhisker and Oakstar, Oakstar had Waspwhisker pinned to the ground, Waspwhisker was limp.

"Waspwhisker!" Coal yowled and charged at Oakstar, knocking his off balance, but the warrior was strong. He made a come back, but didn't abandon Waspwhisker. "Hey badger breath!" Coal snarled, making Oakstar spin around. "I think I know why Waspwhisker is knocked out!" Coal yowled. "He was suffocated by your bad breath! Did you eat fox dung or something?" Coal sneered.

"YOU!" Oakstar spat and charged at him. _Oh great lord of the fence! _Coal wanted to yowl. Oakstar pinned him down and stared furiously into his eyes. Coal tried to move but was only successfully able to twitch his paws.

"Fox dung!" Larkwing yowled and wrenched Oakstar off of Coal. Oakstar turned on the medicine cat, snarling. Larkwing stared in shock for a moment longer. Oakstar lunged at her, and clamped his jaws around her neck. Larkwing let out a gurgled wail and thrashed violently fighting for breath. Mistypaw's eyes clouded with horror, not being able to see what was happening, but hearing the spine chilling wails her beloved mentor had let out.


	14. Chapter 12

A patrol of cats charged through the entrance, the patrol consisted of: a sandy colored tom with blue eyed, Patchclaw, a white tom with blue eyes, Foxpaw, and a black tom with skinny legs and a fluffy neck.

"What is going on here?" The black tom snarled. Oakstar let go of Larkwing, and she crumpled to the ground, her eyes wide with shock. The sandy tom's eyes filled with horror.

"Larkwing?" The sandy cat's voice was small.

"She's a weakling! He don't have room for the weak in ShadowClan!" Oakstar yowled. Coal scrambled away about a fox length.

"This is against the warrior code!" The sandy tom snarled.

"Do you dare defy me?" Oakstar yowled and stood to his paws.

"Oakstar! Stop this!" Patchclaw growled.

"Make me!" Oakstar spat. The patrol hesitated. "And you!" Oakstar snarled, facing Fidgetpaw. "You would be lucky if I exiled you! I am the leader, I fought to earn this position in my clan and I will fight to keep it!" Oakstar's eyes darkened. "I will kill you, to show everyone what happens when you defy me!" Oakstar charged at Fidgetpaw. Fidgetpaw darted away, only to slam into a large dark gray tom. The tom's eyes narrowed.

"What is this?" The gray tom said cooly. Oakstar's gaze softened. Fidgetpaw backed away from the toms and stumbled to the small crowd of apprentices.

"Now you!" Oakstar snarled. Oakstar turned to Coal. _Oh no! _Coal shivered in fear.

"I-I'll go.." Coal said slowly and got to shaking paws. Oakstar flashed out a paw and knocked Coal to the ground.

"You, will die," Oakstar mewed in a sweet voice. Patchclaw's eyes flashed with anger and he shot across the clearing, barreling Oakstar to the ground.

"Don't touch him!" Patchclaw snarled. A brown she-cat with green eyes pelted out from under a small ledge and knocked Patchclaw off of Oakstar. Oakstar jumped to his feet.

"Hazelstorm, finish him!" Oakstar growled. Hazelstorm stared coldly into Patchclaw's eyes and dug her claws into Patchclaw's neck, and tore downward to his belly, He let out a gurgling shriek. He shook violently, dying a similar death as Larkwing. Coal stared in horror. Twistpaw and Brightpaw froze. The whole clan seemed to be in shock. Hazelstorm threw Patchclaw against the wall, leaving a bloody streak on the silvery stone.

"D-Dad!?" Twistpaw wailed. Brightpaw stared in shock.

"Why you!" The sandy tom yowled and charged at Hazelstorm, but she slid out of the way. The sandy tom tumbled down the clearing, reaching a small crowd of horrified cats. The tom sprang to his feet and charged once more. Hazelstorm dodged again, but the tom slid with her, barreling her over this time. He raked furiously at her exposed underbelly. Only letting her go when she cried like a kit. Hazelstorm darted for the entrance, before turning tail and lunging at him, taking the moment for a surprise attack. The sandy tom let out a shriek of surprise and fell to the ground, scrambling up to his feet only to be slammed back by the weight of Hazelstorm. The black tom and the white tom both took a daring step forward. But paused hesitantly.

"Let him go," Oakstar growled. Hazelstorm looked at the sandy tom a while longer then at Oakstar. "I said. Let. Leaftail. Go," Oakstar growled. Hazelstorm reluctantly let go of Leaftail, who scrambled to his feet.

"Coal. Go now," Oakstar mewed calmly. Coal paused, casting a glance around the clearing. Twistpaw and Brightpaw were retreating to the medicine den along with Mistypaw and Leaftail who was dragging Waspwhisker. He got to his feet and raced across the clearing. _I did this._

**I'm sorry I haven't updated. me and my family went to the beach and once I got back I got ****elevation**** sickness. fun times guys, fun times :)**


	15. Chapter 13

_(It has been a moon since the "issue" with Oakstar (it's leafbare now). Oakstar had died of deathberry poisoning two nights ago. Twistpaw and Coal had started meeting less and less. Mistypaw and Brightpaw now invade Hunter's neighbor's garden for catmint. Coal and his littermates had grown larger now (almost the size of warriors now) _

Coal watched over the "morning garden raid" Brightpaw, Mistypaw and Twistpaw were stalking off into the frost bitten forest, Mistypaw carried a few pieces of damaged catmint in her mouth. Coal looked down to his own garden, the catmint had been saved from the cold based on how close it is the window (that is always open). Then he peered at them stalking along the bare frozen ground. He shook his head and walked along the fence, staring down into Hunter's garden. _Stupid vet! _He muttered through gritted teeth, remembering the incident with Hunter that one morning. He carefully padded back to his fence. A black and caramel blur flashed onto the fence in front of him, nearly knocking him off the fence.

"Twistpaw?" Coal mewed as he regained his footing.

"Yes, it's me!" Twistpaw meowed with a roll to his eyes. "Guess what!"

"What?"  
"Frostheart, the white tom you met at the. . .er incident, became leader! He's Froststar now!" Twistpaw explained.

"What about Ratscar?" Coal mewed with bewilderment. "Wasn't she supposed to be next?"

"Ratscar got ambushed by rouges on her way to the moontree, Hazelstorm couldn't save her. but before she left she appointed Frostheart deputy," He meowed, sadness clouding his gaze.

"Oh, I'm sorry for your loss," Coal said awkwardly. Twistpaw looked to the ground.

"Ratscar was my mentor. . . so now Leaftail is my mentor!" Twistpaw meowed, a little bit of happiness in his voice.

"Fidgetpaw, Birdpaw, Silverpaw, Icepaw and Foxpaw all got their warrior names! They are Fidgetpounce, Birdfeather, Silverfern, Iceleaf and Foxtail! And Mistysn-Mistypaw got her medicine cat name and is Mistysnow now!" He mewed. "We also have new apprentices-!"

"Twistpaw? Twistpaw? We need to get this catmint back to camp before Hazelstorm chews her tail off!" Mistysnow growled.

"Coming Mistysnow!" Twistpaw meowed over his shoulder. "Hazelstorm's kit has whitecough, she can't stop pacing around! Though this kit _is _really small for his age so I understand _some _of her worry," He added before hopping down onto the hard frost bitten earth on the forest side of the fence. Twistpaw twitched his tail with annoyance as Mistysnow started growling again. Coal let out an amused purr and dropped onto his side of the fence, landing carefully so as to not stomp the rosemary.

**Hewooooo check the cat guide and you can see who's deputy, sorry I didn't put it in the story - v -**


	16. Chapter 14

**Help meh plz. I don't know warrior names for Brightpaw π^π. (description of Brightpaw (named for her bright yellow eyes) a dark orange cat with a black face and a black left shoulder)**

Coal stared at the dark sky, dawn was coming and Twistpaw, Brightpaw and Mistysnow would be on their "morning garden raid" once more. curiosity nearly clawed him apart that night, he wanted to hear more about their clan life, more than anything. A sharp stab of hunger went through his belly, he sighed and walked to his food bowl, pausing to sniff the tasteless pellets he had to eat every morning. He scrunched up his nose and stalked off, reminding himself of the disgusting flavor and sat by the window once more. The door to the house made a loud creak. His housefolk had come back! He jumped to his feet and scurried off to his housefolk, who had a different housefolk with him.

"Who's this?" He growled, fixing his eyes on the strange housefolk. She seemed to back away a bit and mutter the usual gibberish to his housefolk. His housefolk looked at him and kicked at him. _Betrayal! _He almost snarled before backing off to the window, settling himself on the small sofa. The strange housefolk and his housefolk sat in the kitchen, speaking to each other in their odd language. Only able to make out a few words he ignored them and stared out the window. Twistpaw, Brightpaw, Mistysnow and a brown she-cat with white spots. The brown she-cat seemed smaller than them. _That must be one of those new apprentices! _He bolted to the window. And prepared to pounce. Something grabbed him as he jumped, and put him back on the small couch. His housefolk! He watched in horror as his housefolk closed the window. He put his paws against the window and looked at his housefolk, who returned his unsaid question with a stern stare, and walked off. Anger fumed up in his stomach. _It's because of the new one isn't it? Why is everyone changing? First Hunter now you? _He thought and stalked off to find a different exit. Door: closed. Window by the door: closed. Window in the kitchen: open. He froze to the ground, remembering that they would stop him if he tried. _If I do something REALLY bad, he'll kick me out and makes me sleep on the porch. _ Coal thought happily. He jumped up onto the table in front of his housefolk and the female. He carefully placed his paw at the side of a cup of red liquid on the table in front of the female, who was wearing a white lower pelt, and a pink upper pelt. He pushed the cup closer to the female, both his housefolk and the female had no clue, his housefolk was raiding the cold box and the female had turned her head to talk to him. He cautiously moved the red liquid closer to the edge. He gave a final shove and the cup fell into the female's lap, the red contents spilling all over the white lower pelt. The housefolk shrieked and got up from the chair. His housefolk turned around quicker than he could say mice, and shrieked in anger. He stomped over to him and grabbed him by his back fur and marched him over to a different room. Quickly realising he wasn't going on the porch he hissed and scratched the housefolk's hand, he felt a ripping sensation in his back fur. He yelped as the housefolk tossed him onto the ground hissing angrily. Coal scrambled away, dashing for the kitchen window. He made it onto the sill, but he couldn't fit, he desperately scrambled to get out. The housefolk seemed to be in the kitchen by then, his stomping sending vibrations up the wall. Coal pushed up with his back, pushing the window upward enough to fall out. He landed face first into the mud, he quickly spat out the mud and dashed into the thunderpath, he had made it to the front of the house. He spun around wildly and darted to the fence, scrambling up just as he heard his housefolk opening up the front door. He ran along the fence and hopped out onto the other side, where he met the frozen ground. He heard his housefolk yowling for him as he dashed for a tree, he scrambled up the tree, clinging to the rough bark. The pine needles poked his fur, sending shivers down his spine. He didn't come down until he no longer heard the yowling of his housefolk. He crawled back down the tree, pausing before leaving the safety of the dark green needles.

"W-Who goes there?" A voice stammered. Coal sprang to his feet, searching the ground to see the brown apprentice from the 'morning garden raid'!

**Ok, please don't start arguing about if it's pine nettle or if it's pine needle. (I used to get comments on other sites about this type of stuffs)**


	17. Chapter 15

**Who do you think poisoned Oakstar? My brother is hating on Leaftail ;-;**

"Er. . .I was just about to go. . ." He muttered and stalked off along the edge of the forest, his belly fur gently brushing the cold ground. He paused for a moment in a patch of sun, but continued walking along the frosty dirt, no longer soft beneath his paws. He tasted the air, the scent of cats lingered in the clearing.

"Coal!" A voice meowed a little threateningly. He spun around and saw Hazelstorm.

"Where is the morning garden raid?" She demanded.

"Keep your fur on!" Waspwhisker mewed as he emerged from the darkness.

"You better watch yours!" Hazelstorm snapped back. She then turned to him once more.

"I saw them about an hour earlier, they should be at your camp by now," He grumbled.

"Who says we should trust a kittypet?" Hazelstorm snarled. Coal's fur bristled at the comment. Waspwisker elbowed her.

"She means thank you for telling us, we'll be on our way," Waspwhisker said through clenched teeth. Hazelstorm opened her mouth to object, then thought better of it. "You shouldn't even be out here! You're a queen!" Waspwhisker exclaimed.

"And he's a kittypet, I have more right to being here than he does," Hazelstorm growled as she whirled around and marched deeper into her territory. Waspwhisker shook his head and followed her, only turning back for an apologetic glance and bounded away.

"Rude," He grumbled and turned away, padding deeper into the twoleg place. He sat under a small bush and rolled over. _I wonder if I should talk to Hunter? _The thought clawed at his mind as he stretched out in the short spiky grass. He rolled over into a patch with less grass. Still irritated he clawed the grass and curled up. He rested his tail over his nose, trying to keep his face warm. He let out a shriek of annoyance when a snowflake landed on his head. He opened one eye to see the ground slowly getting blanketed with snow. He heard a wail from the woods. The brown cat was stranded outside! He darted from the protection of the bush. The little she-cat was stuck in a small patch of brambles by the thunderpath, whitch was the border with ThunderClan. He grabbed her scruff and pulled her loose, though the apprentice was almost his size and heavy.

"Er. . .Thanks, you can put me down now. . ." The she-cat mumbled. He released his grip on her scruff, embarrassment tingling at his paws. She smiled awkwardly at the ground. He suppressed a purr of amusement and looked into her frosty blue eyes, which gave away an obvious resemblance to Froststar.

"What were you doing so close to the ThunderClan border?" He mewed, tipping his head curiously to the side.

"Well, I was only finishing my first solo hunting mission, and the snow started coming down, and I decided I'd chase a mouse that was getting away and I found myself here!" The she-cat wailed.

"Hey hey! Don't worry," Coal meowed frantically.

"I'm Cocoapaw," She said shyly.

"I'm Coal," He mewed. She tilted her head to the side.

"You're not from a clan? I thought you were from ThunderClan or something. . ." She meowed, curiosity sparking in her blue eyes.

"Nope. I'm a kittypet, or I think I am," Coal meowed, casting a wary look in the direction of his den. Cocoapaw nodded her understanding.

"Want to come with me to a safe spot to wait out the snow?" She mewed flicking snow from her whiskers. She angled her ears to a small hole in the ground. They padded to the small den, pausing to sniff it, it reeked of badger, but the scent was stale. He nodded and they went into the badger set, laying down by the entrance. Coal looked out to watch the snow as it fluttered to the frostbitten forest.


	18. Chapter 16

**Just want to give special thanks to Kuroimori, it's good to know someone is still reading this! ^v^ tysm (And a quick disclaimer, not all of the cats have original names and I don't mean to copy any characters from the actual series)**

"We should get going," Cocoapaw mewed, almost reading his thoughts. Coal gave a brief nod, feeling the hunger stabbing his belly. Cocoapaw looked down nervously.

"Well bye then," Coal meowed. Cocoapaw looked up from her her paws.

"Thank you," She said shyly. "I would still be in the snow if you weren't there. . ."

"Oh. . .That it's nothing," Coal said as he looked down.

"I would be dead before sundown!" Cocoapaw growled.

"Don't think like that, I'm sure your clan would have been worried or someone would find you."  
"Stop being so modest!" Cocoapaw snapped. Coal let out a snort of laughter.

"Keep your fur on," He said playfully. Cocoapaw gave an outraged look and pounced on top of him in an attempt to pin him down. Coal rolled to the side where her paws were planted on firm ground, knocking those off balance and scrambling to his feet. Cocoapaw tumbled a little further into the den and landed in foul smelling moss.

"Ew!" She scrunched her nose and spat out a mouthful of old bedding. Coal let out an amused purr as she had raised her head once more but with a piece of braken stuck to her nose.

"You've got a little something on your nose," He mewed. She crossed her eyes in an attempt to look at her nose.

"Ew! It's probably as old as the Silver stones!" She wailed. _Silver stones?_ Coal thought, not disguising his curiosity. "It's where the four clans meet for a gathering," Cocoapaw explained.

"Cool," Coal shook his slightly dust covered fur off. Cocoapaw let out a squeak and shied away from the dust cloud.

"I had better get going, my dad will chew his tail off if I'm not back by sundown," Cocoapaw said with a roll of her eyes. Coal chuckled and let the way out of the den, he felt a spark of panic when he set his foot into snow that went all the way up to his belly fur. Cocoapaw let out a squeal of terror and sprang back into the den. Coal trudged onward through the snow, trying to make a path of bare ground for Cocoapaw.

"Hey, I made a small path, at least come out of that smelly old place!" Coal urged. Cocoapaw gave him a wary look then reluctantly followed. "I guess ShadowClan isn't as tough as I thought,."

"Hey! Take that back!" She growled. Fluffing her fur out, but a glitter of playfulness in her frosty blue eyes told him that he was right. She took a step forward into the snow, Coal struggled through the snow next to her, until they reached their separation point.

"Well, I have to go to my camp," Cocoapaw mewed.

"Nice to meet you!" Coal said cheerfully, and padded towards his housefolk's den. The snow had been cleared by the workfolk like usual, the thunderpaths were a little icy. He padded up to his fence and jumped it, pausing to look over the yard. The housefolk had cleared the area under the window and put the plants (they were in pots) inside the den. He jumped down, landing in a thinner layer of snow that only reached halfway up his legs. He struggled further, and paused when he reached under the window. His housefolk had opened the window again. He hopped up onto the window sill, and almost fell back off as he saw his housefolk was all alone, sitting on the couch sleeping. _He was waiting for me!_ Coal thought cheerfully. He bounced inside the den and sat by his housefolk. '_Night. _Coal thought as he curled up next to his housefolk and drifted off to sleep.

That morning when he awoke, he was tucked neatly under a blanket and placed on his usual couch, he sprang up to check the window. _Open. _Coal thought and let out a sigh of relief and turned to his food bowl, which was filled to the rim. He knew it was a sign of apology or love or something, but he didn't like that food too much. But remembering how he hadn't had even a pellet yesterday he wolfed it down like it was the tastiest thing ever.

"Morning!" An odd voice meowed from the window sill. Snowball immediately started barking from his kennel. Coal spun around to see Cocoapaw and a white tom with a brown tail.

"Who are you?" Coal said cautiously.

"I'm Bugpaw!" The white tom mewed, his light blue eyes filled with curiosity.

"I'm sorry, I told Bugpaw about you and he _really _wanted to see you!" Cocoapaw explained with a twitch of her tail.

"Yeah, and Birdfeather told me about you too!" Bugpaw chirped.

"Er. . .that's great. . ." He mumbled around his last gulp of food. Bugpaw bounced with excitement.

"Can you show me how you beat Racoon?" Bugpaw mewed. "It was sooooo totally cool!"

"Er. . . I didn't really do much. . ." He muttered.

"Yes you did!" Bugpaw meowed. "You beat Racoon and saved our clan! And Waspwhisker you saved Waspwhisker too!"

"I didn't really do too much. . ."

"Please! You're starting to sound like Brightpaw!" Bugpaw wailed. _If you want to learn so bad maybe you should ask Racoon! _Coal bit back the comment and fought the urge to sink his claws into the annoying cat's fur.

"No, I'm serious I just ran into the thunderpath!" He grumbled. Bugpaw rolled his eyes and lashed his tail.

"No you didn't!" Bugpaw argued. Cocoapaw elbowed her brother, he let out a squeal and regained his balance on the wooden sill.

"I'm sorry!" She meowed and pushed him down out of the window space. He landed in a puddle of water based on the splash.

"Cocoapaw! What was that for?" Bugpaw wailed and shook himself.

"You wail like a kit!" She growled as she hopped down the sill into the garden. _Those two remind me of Hunter. . ._ Coal thought. He padded to the window and jumped up onto the sill, and bounced down into the garden. He walked up to the fence that marked the border between his garden and Hunter's garden. He hopped up and padded along the fence, closing in on the area with Hunter's cat flap. He jumped down the fence and pushed himself into Hunter's den. But Hunter was nowhere to be seen, not even his cat bed was there!

"Hunter?" He mewed.

"Oh you must be Hunter's friend!" A she-cat meowed. Coal spun around to see a small fluffy tortoiseshell with light green eyes. "I'm the new housecat!"

"New?!" He yelped.

"Uh yes, him and one of the housefolk left!" She explained. Coal felt cold dread rising in his stomach.

"L-left for where?" He asked. The she-cat gave him a sympathetic look.

"I don't know. . ." She admitted. Coal looked to his paws. _He's gone. . . forever. _Coal fought back a wail. "I'm Speckle! I just got here yesterday, they left this morning."

"Nice to meet you Speckle," He grumbled.

"Who peed in your food bowl?" She mewed.

"Nobody, yours?" He meowed.

"Actually the dog did," She said with a sigh. He felt a flash of alarm pass through him. "I didn't eat the food don't worry!"

"Good!" He said with a sigh of relief. Speckle flashed him a look then gave a quick lick over her paw and swiped it over her ear.

"I was thinking on exploring, would you take me around?" She mewed.

"Uh sure!" Coal meowed cheerfully. _Hunter would NEVER explore unless I forced him to, and he always complained. _Coal pushed the thought away. "What about in the forest?" He said carefully.

"Sure!" Speckle mewed and sprang to her paws. Coal flicked his tail and dashed through the cat flap, feeling the cold wind roaring through his fur, and the rare leafbare sun warming his pelt. The sun was near the middle of the sky by the time they got deep enough into the forest to encounter cats, Coal kept a wary eye while in the territory at the start, but after a while he let himself relax more and enjoy the adventure.

"You want to catch a mouse?" Coal asked as they paused by the small 'hide out' that Patchclaw used when he was still alive- and an apprentice.

"Yes yes yes yes!" Speckle mewed excitedly. Coal was already liking this cat's enthusiasm. Coal waved his tail and stalked into the hole, Speckle soon mirrored his stalk. Coal raised his tail just above the ground so he didn't make much noise. He crept deeper into the cave.

"When we are in here we need to be extremely quiet," He whispered to Speckle. She nodded and fixed her eyes on something. Coal just barely made out what looked like a mouse. He crept along the ground, he stepped lightly as possible to avoid sending vibrations, just as Twistpaw had taught him moons ago. He paused and got into a hunter's crouch. The mouse seemed to have noticed something and was looking around. It then returned to eating the nut it had. Coal wiggled and pounced, the mouse shot up and scrambled for it's hole, but Coal was too fast for it and grabbed it. He quickly bit the neck before it could let out an alarm cry and turned to Speckle. She stared in wonder, then quickly performed the same thing he had done. They each caught a mouse, he was hesitant to stay there because it was too far into ShadowClan territory.

"When do we eat them?" She mumbled around her mouse.

"Let's take this back to our twoleg de- house and eat there," Coal said around his mouthful of fur. He jumped from the hole, eager to leave ShadowClan territory.


	19. Chapter 17

(It has been a week and Coal and Speckle are okay friends. Twistpaw and Coal met more often. Twistpaw also shows Coal his battle moves and hunting skills)

Coal yawned loudly, stretching his long legs. The sun shone into the white room through his half opened window. The morning was so calm but he had the urge to run through the forest, and feel the wind through his fur. He wanted to feel a rush of adrenaline as he bounded through the forest. He wanted to feel the sweet satisfaction of sinking his claws into his prey.

"Coal!" Twistpaw shouted, Coal jumped and swung his head around. Twistpaw let out a snort of laughter and padded into the den. Twistpaw flexed his claws into the carpet and back out.

"What you up to?" Coal mewed.

"Well, Hazelstorm almost bit my tail off this morning," Twistpaw growled. Coal let out a purr of amusement.

"Why?" Coal snorted.

"I told her Mistysnow has better things to do then hear her complaining about Toadkit being sick, or Toadkit getting a scratch, or Toadkit is really warm, or Toadkit this, Toadkit that!" Twistpaw growled.

"Haha! Sounds like Hazelstorm is a little protective!" Coal said with an amused purr. Twistpaw rolled his eyes.

"A little?" He said playfully. Coal chuckled and started grooming his legs. "Guess what dude?" Twistpaw continued.

"What?" Coal asked in between licks.

"RiverClan has started pressing in on our borders! They are pulling one of our tricks!" Twistpaw snarled. Twistpaw started flexing his claws into the carpet.

"Sounds. . .er stressful," He mewed.

"Yeah, Froststar knows what's coming up but he's not challenging RiverClan, instead he's waiting for them to mark one of our trees, then we charge!" He meowed.

"You taking part in the battle?" Coal asked, tipping his head to the side.

"Well there might not be a battle," Twistpaw said with a sigh. He then licked his paws clean.

"What if there _IS_ a battle?" He mewed.

"In that case I probably would!" Twistpaw said, his eyes glittering. "Froststar knows I would want to sink my claws into a RiverClan cat any day!"

"Do you _want _a battle?" Coal queried. Twistpaw's expression made the answer obvious before he even spoke.

"Of course! I want to shred these cats _right now_ not later _now_" He growled. Coal nodded. "You understand. . .right?"

"Sort of," He mewed. "I don't quite understand what's wrong with LiverClam."

"RIVERCLAN!" He yowled. "RIVER! With an r!" He continued. Coal snorted and gave himself a few embarrassed licks.

"Oh haha! excuse my hearing!" he said with an amused purr. Twistpaw rolled his eyes and started his way across the den to the window.

"I've got to go, I was on hunting patrol so I shouldn't be here!" He mewed as he jumped through the window. Coal nodded and padded to his food bowl. It was halfway full, and with sharp reliseation he knew that his housefolk hadn't come back yet. _Where is he? _He thought, his stomach churned with worry. He ate some of the remaining food. _If he doesn't fill it up again I could just hunt!_ Coal thought. Though the reassuring thought hadn't seemed to work, because he was still feeling the slightest twinge of nervousness. _Wait! I know how I can get ShadowClan to like me! I can spy on RiverClan! _Coal thought. Excitement rushed through him as he dashed for the window. _If ThunderClan is on the other side of the thunderpath. . .RiverClan is on the other side of the territory! It's like four corners. . . _Coal thought. He nodded to himself and burst through the window, scaling the fence, and then sprinting through ShadowClan territory. He was careful to steer clear of the camp in case he was caught. He sprinted past a ghostly white tree, a broken couch, a place with many puddles, then skidded to a halt as he had scented a disgusting fish and cat scent. He got a whiff of it and decided it was RiverClan. He padded more carefully this time. Making his way to a river. He put one paw in the ice cold water, then one more. _Not too bad. . ._Coal thought with a growl. He waded into the slightly deeper part of the river. The pebbles suddenly gave way underneath his paws. Coal started clawing frantically at the muddy ground on the RiverClan side of the river as the current tore him away. He felt his leg get tangled into a reed. He let out a gurgled wail, in an attempt to get help. No one, nothing heard. The water surged above him, swallowing him whole into its dark muddy depths. He felt as if he were in a squishy prison, quickly losing air he thrashed violently. Panic gripped his whole body as his flails got weaker and weaker. _No no no no no! Help! Someone!_ Coal wanted to wail as the world spun around him, and his consciousness dimmed away.

"Hey! Wake up!" A voice yowled in his ear. He opened his eyes to see a pitch black tom standing over him, he had a gray muzzle and he was about Waspwhisker's size.

"W-who are y-you? W-where-?" He stammered.

"I'm Rainclaw!" The young warrior meowed. "I found you on my patrol!" He added. Coal looked around to find he was on a beach like place, there was a large tree that was bent over in an awkward shape and had large brown hairy circular objects on it, a large gray tom stood on it, giving orders to a bright red she-cat. A dull red she-cat with black spots padded over from behind a bramble bush.

"Hello Rainclaw, could you step aside? I must speak with our patient," She mewed.

"Yes Lillyfur!" Rainclaw said with a bounce and backed off. Lillyfur stood next to him and examined one of his paws, where he had torn a claw in an attempt to get out of the river.

"Are you alright?" Lillyfur mewed. Coal nodded.

"A-am I in RiverClan?" He asked.

"Yes, you are in RiverClan camp. Are you from ShadowClan?" She mewed cautiously, her eyes giving away a slight nervousness.

"No," He said simply. She widened her eyes, shocked by his answer. She gave the air another sniff.

"You smell like one!" She said scrunching up her nose.

"Tw- my brother is in ShadowClan, he sometimes visits my hou- twoleg nest," He explained. Lillyfur sniffed once more, a small spark of confusion lit in her eyes again.

"So you're a kittypet. . ." She mewed.

"Yes," He said a little nervously. Rainclaw had bounded back.

"Wait I heard ShadowClan! Is he from ShadowClan?" He chirped. Lillyfur turned on him and growled.

"No! Go away now!"

"But- please I have one question!" He mewed.

"Okay ask it!" She growled.

"Do you know Waspwhisker?" He meowed, his eyes filled with mixed emotions. Coal paused wondering what he should tell him.

"Y-yeah," Coal mewed.

"Is he okay?" He meowed happily. "And his mate, his mate too. . ." He muttered. _Is he gay? _Coal thought.

"Uh. . .he's okay," Coal mewed. The tom seemed happier now. "but his mate died," Coal explained. The tom looked overjoyed. "Did you know him?"

"Yes! He was my best friend!" he chirped. Then a little less happily he muttered. "Before he left to stay with his mate. . ."

"Rainclaw! That was enough questions!" Lillyfur hissed. _I'll ask Waspwhisker about him. _Coal told himself.

"Tell him I said hi!" Rainclaw shouted as Lillyfur pushed him away.

**my brother ships it -_- tell me all you's opinion on a Rainclaw and Waspwhisker backstory chapter!**


	20. Chapter 18

Coal woke up that morning, barely understanding what was happening. He was in a small cave where the scent of plants drowned out the scents of everything else. There were small strips of bark that had piles of herbs on them. There was a small pile of them in front of him.

"Oh, you're up," A voice mewed from the corner. He whirled around to see a red-brown tom with blue eyes.

"U-uh yeah," Coal stammered.

"I'm Reedpaw, you are Coal, correct?" Reedpaw mewed. Coal nodded. Reedpaw angled his ears at the herbs. "Eat"

"Those?" He said standing up.

"Yes, the green ones? Literally _right _under your nose?" He spat. Coal was taken aback by the apprentice's anger and quickly lapped up the herbs. Lillyfur walked into the den just as Reedpaw opened his mouth to say something.

"Reedpaw! Be nice to our patients! Puddlepaw is scared of you now!" Lillyfur scolded.

"She better be," He snorted. Lillyfur ignored the comment and turned to Coal, and smiled warmly.

"I'm sorry about Reedpaw, I think he sat on a thistle all night or something," She mewed. Coal laughed at the thought of it.

"Lillyfur?" A small brown she-cat meowed. She made her way further into the den, her little stub tail twitched in greeting when she saw Coal. She was quite fluffy and sleek furred, like Waspwhisker.

"Yes Puddlepaw?" Lillyfur answered. Puddlepaw looked down, then looked back up, her yellow eyes filled with disappointment.

"I didn't find any more catmint," She wailed. Lillyfur's eyes clouded with terror. Coal shot his head up. _Why does everyone need catmint? _Coal thought. "All of it died! ShadowClan would never give us catmint, WindClan doesn't have any, and Pebblestar forbids us from going to the ThunderClan cats!"

"This is bad. . ." Lillyfur murmered. "We are at the mercy of StarClan now. . ."

"Wait, catmint?" Coal asked. Lillyfur nodded. _I need to help them! Gain their trust! _Coal thought.

"Yes, one of our warriors has greencough, along with all of our elders. . ." Lillyfur explained. "Frogfoot just got it. . ."

"I have catmint at my h- twoleg's den!" he mewed.

"Oh yes, you're a kittypet! You'd really give some to us?" Lillyfur meowed. Coal nodded.

Reedpaw stood up, his eyes wide with happiness.

"Thank StarClan this cat fell into the river!" Puddlepaw mewed.

"At the right time too," Reedpaw added. Puddlepaw bounced up and down with excitement, but Lillyfur's troubled gaze shot from him to the herb storage.

"It's dangerous, this leafbare hasn't frozen the river yet. And the water is too fast," Lillyfr explained. Reedpaw's eyes went from glittering with happiness, to thick with disappointment. Puddlepaw seemed horrified at the thought of not being able to cross.

"And it's in ShadowClan territory isn't it?" Reedpaw grumbled. Coal had only just thought of that.

"ShadowClan would rip our fur off!" Puddlepaw wailed. Reedpaw snorted but his ear twitched in agreement. Lillyfur looked down, her troubled gaze fixed on him.

"What's all this talk about ShadowClan?" A gray tom growled, he was standing next to a bright red she-cat, her eyes were wide with sadness. Lillyfur turned her head but her gaze lingered on him for a moment.

"This kittypet- the one found in the river? Overheard us talking about our need of catmint- he didn't eavesdrop he was right here- and he said that he has catmint at his twoleg nest, but it's in ShadowClan territory," Lillyfur explained. Reedpaw turned to him.

"We are going to have you leave tomorrow night to go to your nest, you won't be strong enough to travel 'till then. When you leave tomorrow, do you swear to StarClan that you will bring back catmint?" Reedpaw whispered, his tone harsh, but his eyes wide and concerned.

"I dunno what StarClan is, but I swear by that- and the lord of the fence that I _will _return!" He meowed. Reedpaw didn't seem to understand the power of this promise, but nodded anyway.

"This means a lot," Reedpaw whispered. "It even means the survival of the clan."

"I won't let you down," Coal mewed. Reedpaw nodded and stalked out of the den. Lillyfur had gotten done with explaining to this one they called Pebblestar. Pebblestar shook his head.

"None of my warriors are going into ShadowClan territory. We don't want them to attack us!" Pebblestar hissed.

"But we _need _catmint!" She wailed.

"No! ShadowClan might attack, and we don't want that!" Pebblestar growled. "And based on what is happening with one of our warriors no one is allowed at the border!"

"C'mon, we don't know who it is, you can't distrust all of your cats!" Lillyfur snarled.

"What's this problem?" Coal said cautiously.

"Well, one of our cats must be meeting with someone from ShadowClan at the border, ShadowClan got really mad once they scented him and blamed us for pressing in on their territory," Pebblestar explained with a sigh. Puddlepaw scooted out of the den to avoid the drama.

"What if you confine everyone to have at least one cat with them at all times?" Coal said tipping his head. Pebblestar's eyes lit up with ideas.

"That's a great idea!" Pebblestar went on. "And we will set up a watch in the tree by the border! But only certain cats will do it. Ones that I completely trust."  
"Yes yes! Then we can catch him once and for all-!" Pebblestar meowed.

"Hey, it's almost time, I'm going to take Coal to the river so he can leave, or so we can see if he can," Lillyfur interrupted. Pebblestar glared at her and backed out of the den. Coal sprang to his paws to follow Lillyfur.

**If you check the cat guide chapter I updated it. What cat do you think is visiting the ShadowClan cat? what ShadowClan cat is visiting the RiverClan cat? (Qlue: The RiverClan cat is a tom)**


	21. Chapter 19

"We're here," Lillyfur mewed. Coal stared into the dark raging river, the water almost black in the darkness. Coal gave a nervous glance at the water.

"I'm swimming across _that _right now?" He said in a hushed voice.

"Yes, now!" Lillyfur meowed urgently. Coal stared at the water, and put one paw in. The icy water sent a chill up his spine as he put his other forepaw into the dark waters. He carefully picked his way through the torrent, icy water had crept up to his belly fur as he waded through the water. He had gotten halfway across the river. The rocks slowly slid away from his feet, tearing him off his feet. The current dragged him into the depths. He thrashed around, fighting to get to the top. Lillyfur plunged in after him, snapping at his scruff. Coal tried to let out a wail, his lungs screamed for air, but the water was too fast. Lillyfur grabbed him by his tail, he held back a squeal as she jerked her head and forced him to the surface. Coal took a large gasp for air, then scrambled to the muddy shore, Lillyfur slithered out just after him.

"B-brr!" He said as he shivered violently. Lillyfur just stared at him, her fur dripping.

"Good luck Coal," She mewed with a dip of her head. Coal nodded and dashed off, running so he could heat up quickly. Sleepiness seeped into his bones like water in his fur. He paused under a sycamore tree, resting his paws in the cold mud. He then darted off, his black fur melting in with the shadows.

"Coal!" A voice hissed. Coal spun around, but no one was there. He looked closely.

"Who are you?" He hissed.

"It's me! Cocoapaw!" The voice hissed. Coal spun around again, he narrowed his eyes in frustration.

"Where are you?" He hissed.

"Here!" Cocoapaw mewed and bounced to her feet, her brown fur had blended in with the muddy ground. Her eyes gleamed in the darkness.

"Oh, hey Cocoapaw," Coal meowed and shivered.

"You look half drowned!" Cocoapw growled. She sniffed the air slightly. "You were in RiverClan. . ." She mewed. "Did they capture you?"

"No! No! They saved me from drowning, but to get back I had to cross that river," He explained. Cocoapaw nodded.

"They sent you off this late at night? What monsters!" She growled. Cocoapaw sank her claws into the mud.

"They were quite nice," Coal said quickly. Cocoapaw looked at him with disbelief.

"They were nice?" She whispered. "I'll believe that when Mistysnow stops using deathberries to threaten everyone!"

"Haha she'll never do that!" Coal mewed with an amused purr. Cocoapaw nodded in agreement.

"I had better get going. . ." Cocoapaw meowed.

"Me too," Coal said with a nod. Cocoapaw nodded and bounded off. Coal padded off towards his house. A twig snapped off in the distance, startling Coal. He looked around, carefully examining the ground as he crouched lower, hiding behind a small patch of grass. He watched as a brown she-cat stalked along the mud, headed to the RiverClan side. _Wait! Who is that? _He wanted to growl. A smaller tortoiseshell cat was following her. His wide green eyes darting from side to side, soaking in everything he was seeing. _Wait! That's Hazelstorm! And that must be. . .Toadkit? _Coal thought. Alarm made his fur prickle. _Are kits aloud outside of camp? _He got to his paws and opened his mouth to challenge Hazelstorm. Then closed his mouth and sank back into a sloppy hunter's crouch.

"Hey! Shallowfoot?" Hazelstorm hissed. _Shallowfoot? _Coal muttered under his breath.

"Hazelstorm? You came!" A tortoiseshell tom mewed. He bounced across a fallen log, crossing to ShadowClan side of the river.

"Yes, and I brought Toadkit," Hazelstorm purred and she twined her tail with his. Shallowfoot let out an amused purr as Toadkit stared up at them with question in his eyes.

"Is this my dad?" Toadkit squeaked.

"Yes my perfect kit," Hazelstorm mewed. Toadkit puffed up his chest at her words. Coal rolled his eyes. _He's going to become so full of himself! _He almost growled.

"Can he come with us? I want to show him the nursery! I replaced the moss all by myself!" He meowed proudly. Shallowfoot smiled purred. Hazelstorm wrapped her tail around Toadkit.

"No, he's from RiverClan. He can't go home with us," She meowed with a glance at Shallowfoot. Shallowfoot nodded grimly.

"Now, you shouldn't tell anyone about this. Okay?" Shallowfoot said and dropped into a hunter's crouch, the tom's eyes twinkled playfully. Toadkit squealed and hid behind Hazelstorm.

"Okay!" He chirped. Shallowfoot smiled and rose to his feet. Coal felt fear prickle his fur, Hazelstorm was stalking away from Shallowfoot. Shallowfoot was padding back to his side of the river. Coal shot up once Shallowfoot had gone. Hazelstorm jumped and hissed in surprise. Toadkit looked at him with wide eyes.

"Why are _you _here!" Hazelstorm snarled.

"I could ask you the same!" Coal spat back. Toadkit's fur fluffed up.

"Don't talk to my mom like that! She's going to shred you!" Toadkit growled, his eyes sparked with horror. Hazelstorm's claws slid out.

"Don't you even _dare _to tell _anyone _about this!" Hazelstorm growled.

"Who's going to stop me?" He retorted. Hazelstorm's fur fluffed up and she rose on her ankles. Toadkit's eyes flashed and he backed away, scrambling to find somewhere to hide.

"I will!" She snarled. Horror spread through him like wildfire. he didn't expect her to answer to the challenge, but before he could think she had flung herself at him, barreling him onto his back. She used her hind legs and tore at his soft underbelly. Pain gripped his stomach, his muscles screamed for him to run. He thrashed wildly as blood welled up on his caramel colored stomach. He shrieked in terror reached up with his hind legs, pummeling her stomach. she yowled in pain and jumped off. Coal scrambled to his shaky feet just before Hazelstorm made a second attempt to slam into him. He skidded away, slipping on the mud. Pain seared through his stomach as he ran. _I'm no match for her! Not now! _He thought in terror. He gripped the mud with his claws. Hazelstorm was lunging once more. He turned on her and swiped at her face with outstretched claws. He dragged his claws across her face, making a long scratch going from her forehead to her nose. She shrieked and backed off, blinking wildly to get the blood out of her eyes.

"Mommy?" Coal heard Toadkit wail. Coal's eyes flashed with sympathy

"Hazelstorm! Just quit it! You don't want to leave your kit to be an orphan!" Coal mewed desperately. Hazelstorm hissed her disagreement. Coal forced himself into a sloppy hunter's crouch, ready to spring at her. Hazelstorm reared up on her hind legs, and with a flash of a paw she knocked him off balance and he toppled over into a bush, they were nearing the thunderpath! Coal thrashed wildly to get out of the bush, his fur getting snagged by small thorns. He winced in pain as he stepped on one.

"Help Help!" He wailed as he saw Hazelstorm, her eyes sparkling with satisfaction.


	22. Chapter 20

"Stop wailing _kittypet_!" She snarled as she swatted at his nose, feeling utterly trapped only made him wail louder. He got a small glimpse of the triumph in Toadkit's gaze as he stared down at his mother. He attempted to get out but his hind paws were stuck in a tangle. He shrieked in horror and thrashed harder as Hazelstorm started batting at his shoulder, blood splattered her face and paws. She pressed in on the bush, her swipes became slashes. Suddenly her weight was lifted away from him, her blows were in mid air. Some cats had dragged Hazelstorm off, one of them dodging under a couple blows to the head. Doepaw! It was Doepaw and Woodpaw! Doepaw launched herself under Hazelstorm, knocking her to her belly, Woodpaw pinned her before she could get up, Doepaw clawed up her tail fur. They were still smaller than him, but had amazingly precise blows of an experienced wild c- warrior cat.

"Shoo sewer rat!" Woodpaw snarled only after Hazelstorm wailed like a kit and let go of Hazelstorm. She shot to her paws, and hissed a few curses and insults before limping quickly to the darkness of the pines.

"I remember you," Doepaw meowed. "I met you on the thunderpath that one day with Woodtail!"

"Woodtail? You're a warrior now?" Coal mewed.

"Yes! And she's Doefeather now!" Woodtail chirped.

"Sorry, but I must be going," Coal mewed. "I have to get to my ho- twoleg nest before the morning garden raid."

"Okay, may StarClan light your path!" She meowed with a swish of her tail and she bounded over the thunderpath, closely followed by Woodtail. Coal nodded. He traveled home at a fast trot, he had not forgotten what Reedpaw needed him to do. He quickly jumped his fence, and jumped back down into his garden. He darted for the catmint, which his housefolk had put back outside. He quickly nipped at the catmint, making sure to grab it by the base of the stem, as he had seen Brightpaw doing. He gathered catmint until he couldn't fit any more in his mouth, then darted for the rabbit hole. He squeezed under it and raced across the muddy ground, he felt the cool wind blasting through his fur. His whiskers twitched as he passed the bush where him and Hazelstorm almost fought to the death, blood was clotting the bush, he was suddenly aware of his own injuries. The thorn in his pad, the scrapes on his belly, the scratches from the thorns, Hazelstorm's attempt to kill him along with the deep slashes on his shoulder. He slowed to a limp, keeping his battered shoulder's paw above the ground. His belly seared with pain, he knew he couldn't do anything until he went to the vet, But he just trudged on. He reached the log where Shallowfoot had crossed. He paused, watching the water carefully, then gripping his claws into the trunk and hauled himself across the log. He landed safely on the other side, and continued limping. He paused every once in a while to try and sniff out a patrol. But being unsuccessful, he just continued through the watery pebbly landscape. His claws gripped into the pebbles as he made an attempt to climb a slope, his paws slid from under him and he landed on his belly, his stomach twisted in pain and he struggled to his feet. He padded around the slope, finding a slightly less steep side which he scaled with only a small struggle. He padded into a small shallow stream, he could have jumped it, but being scared to push the thorn any further into his pad he wouldn't touch it to the ground. He clawed his way up a small slope, pausing by the hill as he found a scent.

"Coal?" He heard a familiar voice mewing. Coal spun around, relieved to see Reedpaw.

"Yes?" He meowed around his mouthful of catmint.

"Y-you came? Like that?" He said in astonishment. "Here let me help you!"

"Okay," He mumbled around his mouthful. He winced as he dropped a small pile of catmint. Reedpaw quickly picked it up and walked off in the direction of camp, he turned his head to study Coal for a moment. He just flinched and slowed down.

By the time they got to camp, it was dawn. Rainclaw, Shallowfoot and Mudfur caught them before they had gotten there. They were going hunting and promised to bring something for them when they came back. Reedpaw pointed him to the medicine den.

"You've been here before, you go over there," Reedpaw mewed.

"Uh okay?" Coal murmured.

"I have to take these directly to someone else."

"Okay," Coal mewed. _Did someone die because I stalled and bothered Hazelstorm? _Coal thought, guilt helping him forget the original pain he was in. He walked into the medicine den to see Lillyfur organising herbs. "Lillyfur!" He meowed. Lillyfur turned around and gasped.

"Did you fight a wolf to get those?" Lillyfur meowed in horror.

"No. . ?" He said slowly. Lillyfur rushed deeper into her den, to come back out with cobwebs, something green, some sort of seed, and marigold. He dropped the catmint by the opening in the rock and sat down. _This will take a while. _

"Here, you eat this one- and this one- and I'll do the rest!" Lillyfur said with her eyes stretched out in a look of absolute terror. She was quickly applying the cobwebs and marigold to his wounds. _Was it that bad? _He licked up the seed, it didn't taste like much, so he stuffed the leaf in his mouth. The taste was so horrible he almost spat it out. He shook himself, Lillyfur let out a hiss of annoyance.

"Stop wiggling! I'll never get this on right if you keep wiggling!" She growled

"Sorry O great medicine cat," Coal grumbled. Lillyfur glared at him and continued adjusting the cobwebs. She then started tugging the thorn out, he winced in pain and attempted to take his paw away from her, but she quickly gripped it and continued, she then got it out and applied some juice stuff on it.

"There, done," Lillyfur mewed. Coal wiggled away into an upright position.

"Thankyou," He said quietly.

"No worries, It's the least I can do," Lilyfur went on. "You did get us some catmint!"

"It really wasn't hard I just bothered with a cat I found in ShadowClan territory," He explained warily. Lilyfur gasped.

"You _bothered _with ShadowClan? And made it out alive?" He screeched.

"Er. . . Yeah?" He mewed. Lilyfur's eyes widened.

"Wow you must be tired! Those cats are reckless!" She said quickly nudging him back to the nest he had slept in on his way here. _Cocoapaw must be so worried! _He thought with a furrowed brow. _I missed _two _morning garden raids! _He almost wailed out loud.

"I'm not tired- can I go back to my den-?" Coal mewed standing up.

"Nope, you can stay here, I understand you miss your home and all, but you can't swim across the river, cross a log, or travel through ShadowClan territory in that shape!" Lilyfur hissed and half nudged half pushed him back to the nest. With another hopeless attempt to leave Lilyfur gave him the 'get back in that nest before I do something' look and found her way out of the den with the small pile he had dropped. He grumpily plopped down in the nest, sinking into the softness of it. He felt the pain slowly dimming away, along with his already blurry vision. His eyelids seemed to weigh as much as a whole cat. He slowly closed them, letting the world slip from his claws.

**sorry it's been a while since I updated last, I've been quite busy. I will attempt to update at least once a week, though I would like to do more I can't make to many promises. And a big thank you to all that have read this and commented on it. Writing has always been a passion for me and seeing other people reading and liking it really touched me on a personal level, I could never have gotten this far without you guys. So I just wanted to say thank you, and to tell you that I really ****appreciate you all.**


	23. Chapter 21

Thistletooth walked ahead of her along with Emberfoot and Mudtail, padding along the river that separated them from RiverClan. Iceleaf and Bugpaw were following them, Bugpaw was casting glances at the river every once and awhile. After finding the messed up and bloody thorn bush everyone was concerned. Hazelstorm had returned from a walk by the thunderpath separating them from ThunderClan with a couple bad injuries, so everyone was a little nervous about the threats from all of their neighbors.

"Hey I scented a bird, can I go follow it?" Cocoapaw mewed, desperately wanting an excuse to visit Coal since she had been kicked off the morning garden raid. Thistletooth stared back at her.

"Cocoapaw this was originally training! And there was ThunderClan scent all over that bush we saw back there and Hazelstorm got involved and came out with some nasty scratches!" Thistletooth warned. Iceleaf sighed.

"Cocoapaw isn't a kit, she will know when she scents a ThunderClan cat" He mewed to her defense.

"She does need some experience, let her go Thistletooth, she still needs to prove her squirrel hunting skills after the one she lost earlier," Emberfoot advised.

"Fine, but you had better bring back that bird or a squirrel!" Thistletooth hissed. Cocoapaw nodded and scampered off. She lied. There was no bird, she giggled quietly and darted off

Cocoapaw stared into the twoleg nest, her eyes flicked from object to object. "Coal?" She mewed into the odd setting. Slight alarm rose in her chest after the erie silence that answered her. "Coal I know you're here!" She said a little louder, flinching at the echo that came back at her. She saw a small movement. "Coal?" She tipped her head in to see what it was. _A dog! _Horror gripped her stomach, she knew there was a dog here, but did it do anything to Coal? She froze in horror as the small white form made itself more visible by coming right to her paws, it sniffed curiously. _B-bad dog bad dog! _She could almost hear Coal hissing. The white fluffball snarled and barked, she fell down into the nest, feeling the pelt that covered the floor beneath her paws. The dog raced up to her, barking and wagging its tail, excitement buzzed in his eyes. She shrieked in alarm and ran, darting for a tall wooden thing that stood on four legs, she gave a massive leap and landed on top of the smooth surface, skidding slightly. She teetered dangerously over the edge. Cocoapaw sank her claws into the surface in an attempt to steady herself. She looked around for escape routes. A small red stain caught her eye, there was a smaller surface with a tall back that also stood on four legs, and red stains were covering it. _Is that blood? _Her eyes spread with alarm. _No not just blood, but Coal's blood? _Her legs started shaking again, her grip on the tall surface loosened and she fell off, ripping one of her claws off. She skidded on the smooth rock like squares that covered the floor, looking back to where the pelt like floor was. She shook her head and jumped onto a ledge by an opening in the den wall, gripping her claws into the wooden ledge to steady herself. She already had a headache from the annoying constant barking of the dog. She scrambled out the window, only to be caught by a thing that looked like what twolegs used to hunt fish. She clawed desperately at the black knots, finally getting it open. She struggled through it, wincing at the feeling of the weird texture brushing against her fur. She perched on the ledge on the outside of the weird hole in the weird den. She let out a small sigh of relief, she had gotten out finally. She jumped down onto the cold mud, letting her paws sink into the familiar ground.

"Aw your bird wasn't in the twoleg nest was it?"


	24. Chapter 22

Coal opened his eyes to the slowly growing more familiar medicine den, he pushed himself to his paws, looking around at the tidy cave, there was small piles of plants everywhere along a small ledge. He shook his moss covered fur and padded past the still sleeping medicine cats, Reedpaw was murmuring in his sleep, Lilyfur was gripping her claws into the moss. _Do they do that all the time? _He thought. He ignored the aching pain in his shoulder, where he had gotten a nasty scar. Coal nosed his way through the reeds that hung over the exit to the small cave. He stretched himself out, being sure not to mess with his shoulder anymore than he had to. He gazed around at the clearing, there was a small bramble thicket where some cats about his size and smaller were emerging. _That must be the apprentices den! _Rainclaw padded groggily out of a tunnel in the wall of mud, his fur was coated in moss. _That must be where the warriors sleep! _Coal added to himself.

"Hi Coal!" The massive tom mewed as he bounded up with Shallowfoot close by his side.

"I'm Shallowfoot," He said with a slight hint of an unwelcoming glare.

"How'd you sleep?" Rainclaw meowed, fluffing up his black fur with a yawn. Shallowfoot just rolled his eyes and carefully groomed through his own moss covered tortoiseshell pelt.

"Better than you I'd think" Coal said with an amused purr. Rainclaw returned the amusement with a smile on his gray muzzle and went on grooming his fur.

"Can we go hunting?" Shallowfoot growled in Rainclaw's ear.

"Why?" He mewed, not removing his dark blue gaze from his moss covered fur. Shallowfoot angled his ears at Coal.

"I don't like being around _kittypets!_" Shallowfoot muttered and padded off.

"Sorry got to follow him," Rainclaw added before running up the slope to the outside.

"You are an early waker," Reedpaw mewed from beside him. Coal froze for a minute, then turned his multi colored gaze to Reedpaw.

"And you are as quiet as a dormouse," He muttered with a smile. Reedpaw snorted with laughter and shook his pelt. Coal looked up at the sky, longing to return home.

"Lilyfur says you can attempt the journey back, but I'll have you go with Webpaw and Redcreek," Reedpaw mewed.

"Who's Webpaw and Redcreek?" He said with a confused glance at the clearing, looking through the smaller cats and the ones his size.

"Webpaw!" Reedpaw called out. A white tom with long thin legs froze in mid bite, then bounded over. "Webpaw, this is Coal, Coal this is Webpaw."

"Hi!" Webpaw mewed, his gray gaze glimmered with excitement.

"Hi," Coal mewed quietly.

"I'm supposed to take you home along with my mentor! Not saying you can't do it yourself, but I finally get to visit enemy territory!" Webpaw mewed with a bounce.

"They don't have to come with me into ShadowClan territory nothing will happen to me there-" He began. Reedpaw slapped his tail over Coal's mouth.

"So, you doubting that whatever had happened before you got here -which looked like you fought with a monster- isn't going to happen again?" He interrupted.

"Well. . .I'm sure it won't happen because the ShadowClan cat had quite a beating herself and-" He began to explain.

"Her little friends will be there and give you a beating as revenge!" Reedpaw finished. _I can't tell him that it's only Hazelstorm that is likely to attack me! Then they'll think I have some connection with ShadowClan! _Coal thought. He let out a frustrated sigh and nodded.

"I'm going to get my mentor now, I think she will agree you're ready to go back!" Webpaw mewed and raced off to the tunnel Rainclaw had came out from earlier. A few seconds later Webpaw emerged with a bright red she-cat with white feet.

"Is this the kittypet we have to escort?" Redcreek muttered, glaring at Coal. Reedpaw rolled his eyes and cast Coal a reassuring glance.

"Yep, be nice to him," Reedpaw mewed, his voice was lowered into a growl. Redcreek grunted and stalked off towards the slope that led out of the camp.

"What are you waiting for? The moon to rise?" Redcreek growled to him from the other side of the camp.

"No!" Coal called out and chased after her with Webpaw on his heels. The three of them made it down a couple hills into a place with large smooth rocks that towered over them, almost seeming impossible to climb. Redcreek paused a couple fox lengths from the stone and spun around to face them, Coal crashed right into her, she was barely fazed while he fell onto his back, knocking Webpaw over.

"Hey get off me you lump!" Webpaw wailed as he tried to figure a way out of his crushing weight.

"Sorry," he meowed and sprang off, almost running into Redcreek again.

"The river is coming up" Redcreek mewed, narrowing her eyes at Coal. "And based on how we found you the first time, you can't swim very well."

"Yeah have to agree," Webpaw said with a side glance at Coal. Coal gave them an offended look.

"That was an accident!" He objected. "I can swim!"

"Really?" Redcreek said with a snort.

"Of course!" Coal growled, though a small dred of swimming across a raging river built up inside his chest.

"Ok, then we don't have to go all the way to the log" Redcreek finished, then, without warning, raced off past the rocks. He turned his head to look at Webpaw, who was now gone, speeding after Redcreek.

"Great lord of the fence!" he muttered and scrambled after them, gripping his claws into the pebbly ground.

**Hai guys! before I even wrote the story or made up the characters, I had decided what clan the main character (Coal) would join, but now I'm not so sure, so if you could put your vote in the comments (WindClan is ****_NOT_**** an option) I would love it! cya UWU**


	25. Chapter 23

"I'm starving!" Coal complained. He couldn't help but notice that he hadn't had much food but herbs today, though last night he had a fish, it was horrible so he didn't finish it.

"Me too," Webpaw whimpered. Redcreek just rolled her eyes and continued walking ahead of them, Webpaw wailed louder. "Like really hungry!"

"You should have eaten before we left," Redcreek growled as they reached the water's edge. Without any warning, like always, Redcreek slithered into the water, swimming strongly against the icy current. He was too busy watching Redcreek to notice Webpaw had slipped in beside her. Redcreek reached the other side of the river and carefully disguised her extreme effort to get out. Her muscles were straining, visible from under her pelt. Webpaw attempted to launch himself out with a leap, but being unable to reach the bottom made him successful. Redcreek leaned down and helped him along by holding his scruff as he maneuvered up the wall. Webpaw stood on the other side, staring at him expectantly.

"C'mon! whatcha waiting for?" He chirped as Coal inspected the water. The water was shallow enough for him to wade through it until about two fox lengths to the middle, where he couldn't even see the water. After the middle it was still way too deep, but right by the edge he might be able to stand in it. At the edge, the land jutted out, blocking him from walking along the shore as he can on their side, due to the more mountainous landscape in the ShadowClan borders.

"You scared of the water _kittypet_?" Redcreek jeered as a RiverClan patrol passed by. The whole patrol let out small purrs of amusement. A caramel she-cat along with a silver tabby she-cat were both purring the hardest, while Shallowfoot added another comment which made Rainclaw batt at his ear.

"No!" He objected. The small silver tabby with black paws stopped three fox lengths from him, her brilliant blue eyes shimmered with laughter. _she thinks I can't swim! _He gritted his teeth. He was not too much smaller than this she-cat, but the silver tabby was also one of the smallest cats he had seen in RiverClan.

"Minnowpaw! Hurry up!" The caramel she-cat ordered.

"But Mosswing! Can I watch the kittypet swim?" She objected, The caramel she-cat slowed her pace.

"Sure, but you'd better bring back a fish," Mosswing growled, though she stood her place and watched him stare at them.

"Swim kittypet! Or maybe you can't?" Minnowpaw jeered. _I hate these cats! I just need to prove myself! _He thought through gritted teeth, he knew he could barely handle even a half trained apprentice. Even with the training Twistpaw had given him before, and seeing the wild cats in action, it was no use against them. He padded closer to the water's edge. He paused, then slipped into the water, wading as far as he could. The frosty water soaked his fur, he gripped his paws into the sand and pebbles under his paws. The water was darkening, he was near the middle. He reached out with his front paw, but he felt it land on nothing, he lurched forward, panic gripped him like a claw as his own claws lost their grip in the sandy ground. He let out a short shriek of horror before being stolen by the current. He thrashed his arms violently, he shot up to the surface, gasping for air. He paddled strongly, desperate to get to the ShadowClan side, where he would be _so _very close to his home. He felt the smallest hint of the pebbly sand that made up the ground, soon, the sand gave way to mud. He was nearing the ledge. He tried to put all paws on the muddy ground, but got swallowed by the water. _Oh no oh no! What now? Webpaw needed help to get up! How do I do it? _He quickly darted his eyes around. _Wait! Bears stand on their hind legs right? _Coal carefully stood up on his hind legs, his head got about a mouse length above the water. Coal teetered dangerously, if he fell, it would all be over, his heart sped up, blood roared in his ears. Or was that the water? He waddled forward, feeling the mud churning beneath his paws. He leaned forward, feeling the ledge. He sat down on his haunches, relieving the burning pain in them.

"Can he really make it?" Mosswing whispered. _Three. _Webpaw was looking down at him from the ledge, his eyes wide.

". . . maybe?" _Two. _Minnowpaw's eyes sparked with tension. _One. _Redcreek's face was frozen in a look of confusion as he pushed on his front paws to guide a leap, meant to launch himself above the water and onto the muddy land. He felt something grip one of his hind paws as he leapt from the water, panic spread through him. _No no no! _The reed pulled him back down, he felt a searing pain in the entrapped paw. He parted his jaw for a wail. The current dragged him back under the surface, water instantly filled his mouth. _Help! _He thought as he thrashed for freedom, his world spinning into darkness.

**so far RiverClan is winning with 1 vote! Thank you lovefur for voting! UWU**


	26. Chapter 24

"I'm starving!" Coal complained. He couldn't help but notice that he hadn't had much food but herbs today, though last night he had a fish, it was horrible so he didn't finish it.

"Me too," Webpaw whimpered. Redcreek just rolled her eyes and continued walking ahead of them, Webpaw wailed louder. "Like really hungry!"

"You should have eaten before we left," Redcreek growled as they reached the water's edge. Without any warning, like always, Redcreek slithered into the water, swimming strongly against the icy current. He was too busy watching Redcreek to notice Webpaw had slipped in beside her. Redcreek reached the other side of the river and carefully disguised her extreme effort to get out. Her muscles were straining, visible from under her pelt. Webpaw attempted to launch himself out with a leap, but being unable to reach the bottom made him successful. Redcreek leaned down and helped him along by holding his scruff as he maneuvered up the wall. Webpaw stood on the other side, staring at him expectantly.

"C'mon! whatcha waiting for?" He chirped as Coal inspected the water. The water was shallow enough for him to wade through it until about two fox lengths to the middle, where he couldn't even see the water. After the middle it was still way too deep, but right by the edge he might be able to stand in it. At the edge, the land jutted out, blocking him from walking along the shore as he can on their side, due to the more mountainous landscape in the ShadowClan borders.

"You scared of the water _kittypet_?" Redcreek jeered as a RiverClan patrol passed by. The whole patrol let out small purrs of amusement. A caramel she-cat along with a silver tabby she-cat were both purring the hardest, while Shallowfoot added another comment which made Rainclaw batt at his ear.

"No!" He objected. The small silver tabby with black paws stopped three fox lengths from him, her brilliant blue eyes shimmered with laughter. _she thinks I can't swim! _He gritted his teeth. He was not too much smaller than this she-cat, but the silver tabby was also one of the smallest cats he had seen in RiverClan.

"Minnowpaw! Hurry up!" The caramel she-cat ordered.

"But Mosswing! Can I watch the kittypet swim?" She objected, The caramel she-cat slowed her pace.

"Sure, but you'd better bring back a fish," Mosswing growled, though she stood her place and watched him stare at them.

"Swim kittypet! Or maybe you can't?" Minnowpaw jeered. _I hate these cats! I just need to prove myself! _He thought through gritted teeth, he knew he could barely handle even a half trained apprentice. Even with the training Twistpaw had given him before, and seeing the wild cats in action, it was no use against them. He padded closer to the water's edge. He paused, then slipped into the water, wading as far as he could. The frosty water soaked his fur, he gripped his paws into the sand and pebbles under his paws. The water was darkening, he was near the middle. He reached out with his front paw, but he felt it land on nothing, he lurched forward, panic gripped him like a claw as his own claws lost their grip in the sandy ground. He let out a short shriek of horror before being stolen by the current. He thrashed his arms violently, he shot up to the surface, gasping for air. He paddled strongly, desperate to get to the ShadowClan side, where he would be _so _very close to his home. He felt the smallest hint of the pebbly sand that made up the ground, soon, the sand gave way to mud. He was nearing the ledge. He tried to put all paws on the muddy ground, but got swallowed by the water. _Oh no oh no! What now? Webpaw needed help to get up! How do I do it? _He quickly darted his eyes around. _Wait! Bears stand on their hind legs right? _Coal carefully stood up on his hind legs, his head got about a mouse length above the water. Coal teetered dangerously, if he fell, it would all be over, his heart sped up, blood roared in his ears. Or was that the water? He waddled forward, feeling the mud churning beneath his paws. He leaned forward, feeling the ledge. He sat down on his haunches, relieving the burning pain in them.

"Can he really make it?" Mosswing whispered. _Three. _Webpaw was looking down at him from the ledge, his eyes wide.

". . . maybe?" _Two. _Minnowpaw's eyes sparked with tension. _One. _Redcreek's face was frozen in a look of confusion as he pushed on his front paws to guide a leap, meant to launch himself above the water and onto the muddy land. He felt something grip one of his hind paws as he leapt from the water, panic spread through him. _No no no! _The reed pulled him back down, he felt a searing pain in the entrapped paw. He parted his jaw for a wail. The current dragged him back under the surface, water instantly filled his mouth. _Help! _He thought as he thrashed for freedom, his world spinning into darkness.

**so far RiverClan is winning with 1 vote! Thank you lovefur for voting! UWU**


End file.
